Thanks to the covenant, which God entered into with you at your baptism., you have been included in the People of God. Then you received a great calling from God. God has given you a special assignment to fulfill in the world. Maybe you are asking, what God is calling you to do and what tasks he assigns you to fulfill ? The answer to this question is given to you by God, who manifests himself through the Church. The Church finds this answer in Scripture.
The vocation and task of the People of God of the Old Covenant
By making a covenant with the people of Israel, God called them to fulfill great tasks in the history of salvation. Even before the covenant was made, he revealed it to Moses :
"You will say this to the house of Jacob, and you will tell the children of Israel. You have seen, what I did to Egypt, how I carried you on eagles' wings and brought you to me. Now if you will listen diligently to my voice and keep my covenant, you will be my special possession among all nations, for all the earth belongs to me. But you will be a kingdom of priests and a holy people to me… Moses returned and called the elders of the people and told them everything, what God commanded him. Then all the people unanimously said : We will do anything, what God commanded " (Wj 19, 3).
The people are committed to keeping the Law of the Covenant. That is why God has fulfilled his promise : he made him his people, that is, a priestly nation.
Moses poured out some of the blood of the sacrificed animals on the altar. The altar signified the invisible God. Then Moses sprinkled the remaining blood on the people. The sprinkling was a sign, that the people became God's property, entered into the closest communion with the living God, that is, he was sanctified by God (Lt. 19, 2). God wanted, that the sanctified people of Israel will spread out all blessings, which he experienced from him throughout his history. He later reminded his people of this mission through the prophet Isaiah: “You are my witnesses and my servants… This people, that I created myself, will tell my glory " (From 43, 10a. 21).
Through this people, God wanted to show all nations the way of salvation. So God made the entire nation of Israel a mediator between himself and all peoples.
The priesthood's task is to worship God.
The people did this by making sacrifices. During these activities, the people gratefully recalled God's saving deeds in the past and relived them. By this he revived faith in God, which works in the world, and testified, that God, just like in the past, saves at all times (Ps 81, 106). At the same time, the people renewed their covenant with God and strengthened their hope, that the day will come, in which all nations will join the People of God, to worship the living God with him. So the most important mission, that is, the task of the people of Israel - the kingdom of priests - was to preach the great works of God and to worship Him by offering sacrifices.
Fulfilling God's promise for a kingdom of priests
The people of Israel were to fulfill their priestly task until the coming of the one and eternally living priest - Jesus Christ. The priesthood of the people of Israel was the initiation and foreshadowing of the universal priesthood of the new people of God, that is, the Church of Christ. For all the sacrifices made by the Israelites to God were the beginning and foreshadowing of the perfect Sacrifice, which Jesus Christ was to give God, the only Mediator between God and men of all times.
Everybody, who are united to Jesus Christ through baptism, the only and eternal Priest, they participate in his priestly dignity. St.. Peter teaches us, that now the Church of Christ is a holy people and a kingdom of priests (1P 2, 9). The Church should proclaim God's great works, worship Him and offer sacrifices together with the Sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Thus, the entire Church now mediates with Christ between God and all men. It makes it perfect, than the people of Israel did centuries ago.
How will I answer God ?
God has given you a share in the priesthood of Christ. Through the baptism of St.. and the sacrament of Confirmation entrusts you with a great mission to fulfill in the world. God is calling you, that you, together with the whole Church, announce to the world the great works of God and offer your sacrifices with Christ. You will hear this call in the liturgical readings about the priesthood of the first chosen people and about the priesthood of Christ. (Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time, year A). You can fulfill your priesthood mission in the family home, at school, at work, and especially through a proper participation in the Eucharistic Sacrifice of Christ and of the Church. Perhaps you will proclaim good in word and deed, which God is doing to you and wishes to do for all people ? Perhaps you will participate more consciously and actively in the Sunday Eucharistic Sacrifice ?
Perhaps you will study harder from now on, knowing, that in this way you also worship God and offer Him a spiritual sacrifice ?
Perhaps you will reflect more often in prayer, how you fulfill your priesthood mission in the world ? What testimony you give about Christ and His Church, who do not yet believe in Jesus Christ ? What should you change in your life, to live up to your priesthood ?
■ Think :
1. What priesthood duties were the hallowed people of Israel performing ?
2. What does it mean, that God made the people of Israel a mediator between himself and all nations ?
3. What God initiated and foretold by making the people of Israel a priestly nation ?
4. Why the Scriptures. he calls the Church of Christ ,,a holy people and a kingdom of priests " ?
■ Remember:
35. What God made the people of Israel ?
God made the people of Israel a priestly nation.
36. What kind of people is a priestly nation today ?
Currently, the priestly nation is the new People of God - the Church of Christ.
37. What are the most important tasks of the Church - the kingdom of priests ?
The most important task of the Church - the kingdom of priests is to proclaim God's great deeds to all nations and to make sacrifices through Jesus Christ.
Thanks to the covenant, which God entered into with you at your baptism., you have been included in the People of God. Then you received a great calling from God. God has given you a special assignment to fulfill in the world. Maybe you are asking, what God is calling you to do and what tasks he assigns you to fulfill ? The answer to this question is given to you by God, who manifests himself through the Church. The Church finds this answer in Scripture.
