READINGS: LENT FRIDAY IV

Invitatory Psalm & BACK

Psalm 78A and BACK

שׁוּבוּ אֶל־יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם — כִּי־חַנּוּן וְרַחוּם הוּא

Even Years: Numbers 9:15—10:10,33-36 15 וּבְיוֹם הָקִים אֶת־הַמִּשְׁכָּן כִּסָּה הֶעָנָן אֶת־הַמִּשְׁכָּן לְאֹהֶל הָעֵדֻת וּבָעֶרֶב יִהְיֶה עַל־הַמִּשְׁכָּן כְּמַרְאֵה־אֵשׁ עַד־בֹּקֶר׃ 16 כֵּן יִהְיֶה תָמִיד הֶעָנָן יְכַסֶּנּוּ וּמַרְאֵה־אֵשׁ לָיְלָה׃ 17 וּלְפִי הֵעָלֹת הֶעָנָן מֵעַל הָאֹהֶל וְאַחֲרֵי־כֵן יִסְעוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וּבִמְקוֹם אֲשֶׁר יִשְׁכָּן־שָׁם הֶעָנָן שָׁם יַחֲנוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל׃ 18 עַל־פִּי יְהוָה יִסְעוּ בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְעַל־פִּי יְהוָה יַחֲנוּ כָּל־יְמֵי אֲשֶׁר יִשְׁכֹּן הֶעָנָן עַל־הַמִּשְׁכָּן יַחֲנוּ׃ 19 וּבְהַאֲרִיךְ הֶעָנָן עַל־הַמִּשְׁכָּן יָמִים רַבִּים וְשָׁמְרוּ בְנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל אֶת־מִשְׁמֶרֶת יְהוָה וְלֹא יִסָּעוּ׃ 20 וְיֵשׁ אֲשֶׁר יִהְיֶה הֶעָנָן יָמִים מִסְפָּר עַל־הַמִּשְׁכָּן עַל־פִּי יְהוָה יַחֲנוּ וְעַל־פִּי יְהוָה יִסָּעוּ׃ 21 וְיֵשׁ אֲשֶׁר יִהְיֶה הֶעָנָן מֵעֶרֶב עַד־בֹּקֶר וְנַעֲלָה הֶעָנָן בַּבֹּקֶר וְנָסָעוּ אוֹ יוֹמָם וָלַיְלָה וְנַעֲלָה הֶעָנָן וְנָסָעוּ׃ 22 אוֹ־יֹמַיִם אוֹ־חֹדֶשׁ אוֹ־יָמִים בְּהַאֲרִיךְ הֶעָנָן עַל־הַמִּשְׁכָּן לִשְׁכֹּן עָלָיו יַחֲנוּ בְנֵי־יִשְׂרָאֵל וְלֹא יִסָּעוּ וּבְהֵעָלֹתוֹ יִסָּעוּ׃ 23 עַל־פִּי יְהוָה יַחֲנוּ וְעַל־פִּי יְהוָה יִסָּעוּ אֶת־מִשְׁמֶרֶת יְהוָה שָׁמָרוּ עַל־פִּי יְהוָה בְּיַד־מֹשֶׁה׃ פ 10: 1 וַיְדַבֵּר יְהוָה אֶל־מֹשֶׁה לֵּאמֹר׃ 2 עֲשֵׂה לְךָ שְׁתֵּי חֲצוֹצְרֹת כֶּסֶף מִקְשָׁה תַּעֲשֶׂה אֹתָם וְהָיוּ לְךָ לְמִקְרָא הָעֵדָה וּלְמַסַּע אֶת־הַמַּחֲנוֹת׃ 3 וְתָקְעוּ בָּהֵן וְנוֹעֲדוּ אֵלֶיךָ כָּל־הָעֵדָה אֶל־פֶּתַח אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד׃ 4 וְאִם־בְּאַחַת יִתְקָעוּ וְנוֹעֲדוּ אֵלֶיךָ הַנְּשִׂיאִים רָאשֵׁי אַלְפֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל׃ 5 וּתְקַעְתֶּם תְּרוּעָה וְנָסְעוּ הַמַּחֲנוֹת הַחֹנִים קֵדְמָה׃ 6 וּתְקַעְתֶּם תְּרוּעָה שֵׁנִית וְנָסְעוּ הַמַּחֲנוֹת הַחֹנִים תֵּימָנָה תְּרוּעָה יִתְקְעוּ לְמַסְעֵיהֶם׃ 7 וּבְהַקְהִיל אֶת־הַקָּהָל תִּתְקְעוּ וְלֹא תָרִיעוּ׃ 8 וּבְנֵי אַהֲרֹן הַכֹּהֲנִים יִתְקְעוּ בַּחֲצֹצְרוֹת וְהָיוּ לָכֶם לְחֻקַּת עוֹלָם לְדֹרֹתֵיכֶם׃ 9 וְכִי־תָבֹאוּ מִלְחָמָה בְּאַרְצְכֶם עַל־הַצַּר הַצֹּרֵר אֶתְכֶם וַהֲרֵעֹתֶם בַּחֲצֹצְרוֹת וֲנִזְכַּרְתֶּם לִפְנֵי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם וְנוֹשַׁעְתֶּם מֵאֹיְבֵיכֶם׃ 10 וּבְיוֹם שִׂמְחַתְכֶם וּבְמוֹעֲדֵיכֶם וּבְרָאשֵׁי חָדְשֵׁיכֶם וּתְקַעְתֶּם בַּחֲצֹצְרֹת עַל עֹלֹתֵיכֶם וְעַל זִבְחֵי שַׁלְמֵיכֶם וְהָיוּ לָכֶם לְזִכָּרוֹן לִפְנֵי אֱלֹהֵיכֶם אֲנִי יְהוָה אֱלֹהֵיכֶם׃... 33 וַיִּסְעוּ מֵהַר יְהוָה דֶּרֶךְ שְׁלֹשֶׁת יָמִים וַאֲרוֹן בְּרִית־יְהוָה נֹסֵעַ לִפְנֵיהֶם דֶּרֶךְ שְׁלֹשֶׁת יָמִים לָתוּר לָהֶם מְנוּחָה׃ 34 וַעֲנַן יְהוָה עֲלֵיהֶם יוֹמָם בְּנָסְעָם מִן־הַמַּחֲנֶה׃ נ ס 35 וַיְהִי בִּנְסֹעַ הָאָרֹן וַיֹּאמֶר מֹשֶׁה קוּמָה יְהוָה וְיָפֻצוּ אֹיְבֶיךָ וְיָנֻסוּ מְשַׂנְאֶיךָ מִפָּנֶיךָ׃ 36 וּבְנֻחֹה יֹאמַר שׁוּבָה יְהוָה רִבְבוֹת אַלְפֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל׃ נ	15 On the day the Dwelling was erected, the cloud covered the Dwelling, the Tent of the Testimony. From nightfall until morning it remained over the Dwelling looking like fire. 16 So the cloud covered it all the time, and at night it looked like fire. 17 Whenever the cloud rose from the Tent, the Israelites broke camp, and wherever the cloud halted, there the Israelites pitched camp. 18 At Yahweh's order, the Israelites set out and, at Yahweh's order, the Israelites pitched camp. They remained in camp for as long as the cloud rested on the Dwelling. 19 If the cloud stayed for many days on the Dwelling, the Israelites performed their duty to Yahweh and did not set out. 20 But if the cloud happened to stay for only a few days on the Dwelling, just as they had pitched camp at Yahweh's order, at Yahweh's order they set out. 21 If the cloud happened to remain only from evening to morning, they set out when it lifted the next morning. Or, if it stayed for a whole day and night, they set out only when it lifted. 22 Sometimes it stayed there for two days, a month, or a longer time; however long the cloud rested on the Dwelling, the Israelites remained in camp, and when it lifted they set out. 23 At Yahweh's order they pitched camp, and at Yahweh's order they set out. They performed their duty to Yahweh, as Yahweh had ordered through Moses. 10:1 Yahweh spoke to Moses and said: 2 Make yourself two trumpets; make them of beaten silver, so that you can use them for summoning the community, and for sounding the order to break camp. 3 Whenever they are sounded, the whole community must gather round you, at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. 4 But if only one trumpet is sounded, then only the leaders, the heads of Israel's thousands, must gather round you. 5 When the trumpet blast is accompanied by a battle cry, the encampments pitched to the east will set out. 6 At the second blast accompanied by a battle cry, the encampments pitched to the south will set out. For breaking camp, the trumpet blast will be accompanied by a battle cry, 7 but for assembling the community the trumpets will be sounded without battle cry. 8 The Aaronite priests will sound the trumpets; this is a perpetual decree for you and your descendants. 9 When in your country you go to war against an enemy who is oppressing you, you will sound trumpets with a battle cry, and Yahweh your God will remember you, and you will be delivered from your enemies. 10 At your festivals, solemnities and new-moon feasts, you will sound the trumpets over your burnt offerings and communion sacrifices, so that they recall you to the remembrance of your God. I am Yahweh your God. 33 They set out from Yahweh's mountain and travelled for three days, while the ark of the covenant of Yahweh preceded them on the three-day journey, searching out a place for them to halt. 34 In the daytime, Yahweh's cloud was over them, once they had broken camp. 35 Whenever the ark set out, Moses would say: Rise, Yahweh, may your enemies be scattered and those who hate you flee at your approach! 36 And when it halted, he would say: Come back, Yahweh, to the countless thousands of Israel!
Odd Years: Hebrews 10:1-18 σκιὰν γὰρ ἔχων ὁ νόμος τῶν μελλόντων ἀγαθῶν, οὐκ αὐτὴν τὴν εἰκόνα τῶν πραγμάτων, κατ' ἐνιαυτὸν ταῖς αὐταῖς θυσίαις ἃς προσφέρουσιν εἰς τὸ διηνεκὲς οὐδέποτε δύναται τοὺς προσερχομένους τελειῶσαι: ἐπεὶ οὐκ ἂν ἐπαύσαντο προσφερόμεναι, διὰ τὸ μηδεμίαν ἔχειν ἔτι συνείδησιν ἁμαρτιῶν τοὺς λατρεύοντας ἅπαξ κεκαθαρισμένους; ἀλλ' ἐν αὐταῖς ἀνάμνησις ἁμαρτιῶν κατ' ἐνιαυτόν, ἀδύνατον γὰρ αἷμα ταύρων καὶ τράγων ἀφαιρεῖν ἁμαρτίας.       διὸ εἰσερχόμενος εἰς τὸν κόσμον λέγει,       θυσίαν καὶ προσφορὰν οὐκ ἠθέλησας, σῶμα δὲ κατηρτίσω μοι:       ὁλοκαυτώματα καὶ περὶ ἁμαρτίας οὐκ εὐδόκησας.       τότε εἶπον, ἰδοὺ ἥκω, ἐν κεφαλίδι βιβλίου γέγραπται περὶ ἐμοῦ,       τοῦ ποιῆσαι, ὁ θεός, τὸ θέλημά σου.             ἀνώτερον λέγων ὅτι θυσίας καὶ προσφορὰς             καὶ ὁλοκαυτώματα καὶ περὶ ἁμαρτίας οὐκ ἠθέλησας οὐδὲ εὐδόκησας,             αἵτινες κατὰ νόμον προσφέρονται,                   τότε εἴρηκεν, ἰδοὺ ἥκω τοῦ ποιῆσαι τὸ θέλημά σου.                   ἀναιρεῖ τὸ πρῶτον ἵνα τὸ δεύτερον στήσῃ:                   ἐν ᾧ θελήματι ἡγιασμένοι ἐσμὲν                   διὰ τῆς προσφορᾶς τοῦ σώματος Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ ἐφάπαξ.             καὶ πᾶς μὲν ἱερεὺς ἕστηκεν καθ' ἡμέραν λειτουργῶν             καὶ τὰς αὐτὰς πολλάκις προσφέρων θυσίας,             αἵτινες οὐδέποτε δύνανται περιελεῖν ἁμαρτίας.       οὗτος δὲ μίαν ὑπὲρ ἁμαρτιῶν προσενέγκας θυσίαν       εἰς τὸ διηνεκὲς ἐκάθισεν ἐν δεξιᾷ τοῦ θεοῦ,       τὸ λοιπὸν ἐκδεχόμενος ἕως τεθῶσιν οἱ ἐχθροὶ αὐτοῦ ὑποπόδιον τῶν ποδῶν αὐτοῦ:       μιᾷ γὰρ προσφορᾷ τετελείωκεν εἰς τὸ διηνεκὲς τοὺς ἁγιαζομένους. μαρτυρεῖ δὲ ἡμῖν καὶ τὸ πνεῦμα τὸ ἅγιον: μετὰ γὰρ τὸ εἰρηκέναι, αὕτη ἡ διαθήκη ἣν διαθήσομαι πρὸς αὐτοὺς μετὰ τὰς ἡμέρας ἐκείνας, λέγει κύριος, διδοὺς νόμους μου ἐπὶ καρδίας αὐτῶν, καὶ ἐπὶ τὴν διάνοιαν αὐτῶν ἐπιγράψω αὐτούς, καὶ τῶν ἁμαρτιῶν αὐτῶν καὶ τῶν ἀνομιῶν αὐτῶν οὐ μὴ μνησθήσομαι ἔτι. ὅπου δὲ ἄφεσις τούτων, οὐκέτι προσφορὰ περὶ ἁμαρτίας.
Hebrews 10:1-18 1 So, since the Law contains no more than a reflection of the good things which were still to come, and no true image of them, it is quite incapable of bringing the worshippers to perfection, by means of the same sacrifices repeatedly offered year after year. 2 Otherwise, surely the offering of them would have stopped, because the worshippers, when they had been purified once, would have no awareness of sins. 3 But in fact the sins are recalled year after year in the sacrifices. 4 Bulls' blood and goats' blood are incapable of taking away sins, 5 and that is why he said, on coming into the world: You wanted no sacrifice or cereal offering, but you gave me a body. 6 You took no pleasure in burnt offering or sacrifice for sin; 7 then I said, 'Here I am, I am coming,' in the scroll of the book it is written of me, to do your will, God. 8 He says first You did not want what the Law lays down as the things to be offered, that is: the sacrifices, the cereal offerings, the burnt offerings and the sacrifices for sin, and you took no pleasure in them; 9 and then he says: Here I am! I am coming to do your will. He is abolishing the first sort to establish the second. 10 And this will was for us to be made holy by the offering of the body of Jesus Christ made once and for all. 11 Every priest stands at his duties every day, offering over and over again the same sacrifices which are quite incapable of taking away sins. 12 He, on the other hand, has offered one single sacrifice for sins, and then taken his seat for ever, at the right hand of God, 13 where he is now waiting till his enemies are made his footstool. 14 By virtue of that one single offering, he has achieved the eternal perfection of all who are sanctified. 15 The Holy Spirit attests this to us, for after saying: 16 No, this is the covenant I will make with them, when those days have come. the Lord says: In their minds I will plant my Laws writing them on their hearts, 17 and I shall never more call their sins to mind, or their offences. 18 When these have been forgiven, there can be no more sin offerings.

Even Years: Cyril of Alexandria, Worship in spirit and truth, Book 5 (PG 68, 394-395) Θεωρῶμεν δὲ ἤδη πνευματικῶς. Ἅμα τε γὰρ ἐγήγερται καὶ ἀνέτειλεν ἐπὶ τῆς γῆς ἡ ἀληθεστάτη σκηνὴ, τουτέστιν ἡ Ἐκκλησία, πεπλήρωται τῆς δόξης τοῦ Χριστοῦ· τὸ γὰρ καλύπτεσθαι τῇ νεφέλῃ τὴν ἀρχαίαν σκηνὴν, οὐχ ἕτερον, οἶμαί που, παρὰ τοῦτο δηλοῖ. The glory of Christ filled the true Tabernacle, which is the Church, from the very moment it was set up on earth. This, surely, is what is signified by the cloud that covered the first Tabernacle. Πεπλήρωκε τοίνυν τῆς ἑαυτοῦ δόξης τὴν Ἐκκλησίαν ὁ Χριστὸς, καὶ τοῖς μὲν ἐν ἀμαθίᾳ καὶ πλάνῃ, καθάπερ ἐν νυκτὶ καὶ σκότῳ διατρίβουσι, πυρὸς ἀναλάμπει δίκην, τὸν νοητὸν δηλονότι φωτισμὸν ἐνιεὶς, τοῖς γε μὴν ἤδη πεφωτισμένοις, καὶ ἡμέραν ἔχουσιν ἐν καρδίᾳ τὴν νοητὴν, τὴν παρ' ἑαυτοῦ σκιάν τε καὶ σκέπην δωρούμενος, καὶ δρόσοις αὐτοὺς καταπιαίνων πνευματικαῖς, τουτέστι, ταῖς ἄνωθέν τε καὶ διὰ τοῦ Πνεύματος παρακλήσεσι. Τοῦτο γάρ ἐστι τὸ ὡς ἐν εἴδει μὲν πυρὸς ὁρᾶσθαι τὴν νύκτα, ἐν δὲ εἴδει νεφέλης, τὴν ἡμέραν. Ἔδει γὰρ, ἔδει τοῖς μὲν ἔτι νηπίοις φωτισμοῦ καὶ ἐλλάμψεως, τῆς ἀποφερούσης εἰς θεογνωσίαν· τοῖς δὲ τούτων ἀνωτέρω καὶ λελαμπρυσμένοις διὰ τῆς πίστεως, σκέπης καὶ ἐπικουρίας, ὡς ἂν δύναιντο γενναίως διενεγκεῖν τοῦ παρόντος βίου τὸν καύσωνα καὶ τῆς ἡμέρας τὸ βάρος· Πάντες γὰρ οἱ θέλοντες ζῇν εὐσεβῶς ἐν Χριστῷ, διωχθήσονται. Christ has filled the Church with his glory, and now like a fire, he shines forth to give light to those who live in the darkness of ignorance and error. He shades and protects those already enlightened by the dawn of his day in their hearts. He refreshes them with the heavenly dew of his consolations sent down from above through the Spirit. This is what we should understand by the saying that by night he appeared in the form of fire, and by day in the form of cloud. Those who were as yet uninstructed in the teaching of Christ required spiritual enlightenment to bring them to a knowledge of God; but the more advanced, whose minds had been illumined by faith, were in need of protection from the scorching heat of the day, and of courage to bear the burdens of this present life. For all who desire to live a godly life in Christ will suffer persecution. Ἀπαιρούσης δὲ τῆς νεφέλης, συναπαίρει καὶ ἡ σκηνὴ, καὶ καταλυούσης συγκαθίσταται, καὶ σὺν αὐτῇ τοῦτο ἔδρων οἱ ἐξ Ἰσραήλ· ἕπεται γὰρ ἡ Ἐκκλησία πανταχῆ τῷ Χριστῷ, καὶ ἡ τῶν πιστευόντων ἁγία πληθὺς τοῦ καλοῦντος εἰς σωτηρίαν οὐκ ἀπονοσφίζεται. Whenever the cloud moved forward, the Tabernacle went with it; when the cloud settled, the Tabernacle came to rest with it and the Israelites broke their journey. Now the meaning of this for us is that wherever Christ leads, the Church, the holy multitude of believers, follows him. The faithful are never separated from the Saviour who calls them to himself. Καὶ τίς ἂν νοοῖτο τυχὸν ἥ τε ἄπαρσις ἡμῶν καὶ ἡ κατάλυσις, προβιβάζοντός τε καὶ ἡγουμένου Χριστοῦ; We may not be able to find any special meaning in the constant halts and new departures throughout our spiritual journey under Christ's guidance. Ἀδιαφορήσει μέν πως ἔν γε δὴ τούτοις ἡμῖν ὁ λόγος, τύπον ὥσπερ τινὰ καταδεικνύντος ἡμῖν τοῦ θέλειν εἶναι μετὰ Θεοῦ τοῦ τε συναπαίρειν καὶ συγκαθίστασθαι τῇ νεφέλῃ· It is the whole journey, following the cloud whether it moves forward or settles, that symbolizes our desire to be with God. πλὴν εἰς ἐννοίας ὡς ἔνι λεπτὰς τὸν νοῦν ἐνιέντες, πάλιν ἐκεῖνο ἐροῦμεν, ὅτι πρώτη μὲν ἄπαρσις ἡ ἐξ ἀπιστίας εἰς πίστιν, καὶ ἐξ ἀγνοίας εἰς γνῶσιν, καὶ ἐκ τοῦ μὴ εἰδέναι τίς ὁ φύσει τε καὶ ἀληθῶς Θεὸς, ἐπὶ τὸ εἰδέναι σαφῶς τὸν τῶν ὅλων Δεσπότην καὶ Ποιητήν. Nevertheless, if we would have a more subtle interpretation, we could perhaps say that our first departure is from unbelief to faith, from ignorance to knowledge, and from having no perception of the true God to clear recognition of the Creator and Lord of the universe. Ἄπαρσις δὲ ὥσπερ μετ' ἐκείνην δευτέρα καὶ ἐπωφελὴς, ἡ ἐκ φαυλότητός τε καὶ ἀσελγείας, ἐπὶ τὸ θέλειν ἤδη πως τὰ ἀμείνω δρᾷν τε καὶ φρονεῖν. The second stage, and an essential one, is conversion from sin and licentiousness to a desire for amendment both in thought and deed. Τρίτη δὲ ταύτης προφερεστέρα καὶ ἐν εὐκλείᾳ μείζονι, ἡ ἐκ τοῦ ἐνδεοῦς ἐπὶ τὸ ἀρτίως ἔχον, πρακτικῶς τε ἅμα καὶ δογματικῶς. But the best and most glorious is the third part of the journey, because in it we leave behind what is deficient and move onward toward what is perfect both in our actions and in our belief. Ἢ οὐχὶ κατὰ βραχὺ πρὸς αὔξησιν ἴμεν τὴν ἐν Χριστῷ νοουμένην, προκόπτοντες μὲν εἰς ἄνδρα τέλειον, ἀναθρώσκοντες δὲ καὶ εἰς μέτρον ἡλικίας τοῦ πληρώματος αὐτοῦ; Τοῦτο τάχα πού ἐστι τὸ διὰ φωνῆς τοῦ θεσπεσίου Παύλου ὑμνούμενον ἡμῖν· Τῶν μὲν ὀπίσω ἐπιλανθανόμενος, τοῖς δὲ ἔμπροσθεν ἐπεκτεινόμενος, κατὰ σκοπὸν διώκω εἰς τὸ βραβεῖον τῆς ἄνω κλήσεως. So, little by little, we advance toward the ideal we see in Christ, to become the perfect man, sharing in the perfection of Christ himself. This surely is what Saint Paul means by saying: Forgetting what lies behind me and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the goal, the heavenly reward to which God calls me in Christ Jesus.

Odd Years: Ambrose of Milan, Letter 12 extra collectionem, 47-50 Bonus medicus qui infirmitates nostras suscepit, sanavit aegritudines et tamen iste sicut est scriptum non se honorificavit fieri summum sacerdotem, sed qui locutus est ad eum pater dixit: Filius meus es tu, ego hodie genui te. Sicut et alibi dicit: Tu es sacerdos in aeternum secundum ordinem Melchisedech. Qui quoniam typus futurus erat sacerdotum omnium ideo carnem suscepit, ut in diebus carnis suae preces et supplicationes deo patri cum magna voce et lacrimis offerret et ex his quae passus est, quamvis esset filius, discere videretur oboedientiam, quam nos doceret ut nobis fieret auctor salutis. Denique consummatis passionibus tamquam consummatus ipse sanitatem dedit omnibus, peccatum tulit omnium. Our Lord was the good physician who bore our infirmities and cured our ills; yet he did not arrogate to himself the glory of becoming high priest; this was conferred on him by the Father when he said: You are my Son, today 1 have begotten you. He also says elsewhere: You are a priest for ever in the order of Melchizedek. Since as a priest he was to be the model of all priests, he became one of us, so that during his earthly life he might offer up prayer and entreaty, with loud cries and tears, to God his Father; and, Son though he was, he might learn obedience through suffering. This obedience was his lesson to us; in this way he became the source of salvation for us all. When at last he had reached the full measure of his sufferings and his obedience had been perfected, he healed us and took away our sins. Ideo et Aaron sacerdotem ipse elegit, ut non humana cupiditas in eligendo sacerdote praeponderaret sed gratia dei, non voluntaria oblatio nec propria assumptio sed caelestis vocatio, ut is offerat munera pro peccatis qui possit affici pro peccantibus, quia et ipse, inquit, gestat infirmitatem. Non sibi quis honorem debet sumere sed vocari a deo sicut et Aaron, ita et Christus non exegit sed accepit sacerdotium. In the same way, it was God himself who chose Aaron to be the high priest making it clear that the choice would not depend on the will of man but on the favour of God. None was to propose himself for the priesthood or take it upon himself: it was to be a heavenly vocation. The one who was to offer sacrifice for sins would be someone capable of sympathizing with sinners, aware, as Scripture says, that he too was beset by weakness. No one may confer the honour of the priesthood on himself; it is for the one called to it by God, as Aaron was. Even Christ did not arrogate the priesthood to himself; it was conferred on him. Denique cum ab Aaron per genus ducta successio generis magis teneret heredes quam iustitiae consortes, propterea ad typum illius Melchisedech, quem in veteri testamento legimus, verus Melchisedech, verus rex pacis, verus iustitiae rex venit; hoc enim habet nominis interpretatio: Sine patre, sine matre, sine generationis enumeratione, neque initium dierum nec vitae finem habens, quod et ad filium dei refertur qui matrem in illa divina generatione nescivit, patrem in hoc virginis Mariae partu ignoravit, ex patre solo natus ante saecula, ex virgine sola ortus in hoc saeculo, initium dierum habere utique non potuit qui erat in principio. Quomodo autem vitae finem haberet qui vitae auctor omnibus est? Ipse principium et finis omnium. Sed refertur et ad exemplum ut tamquam sine patre et sine matre sacerdos esse debeat, in quo non generis nobilitas sed morum eligatur gratia et virtutum praerogativa. Since succession in the office of high priest was reckoned by descent from Aaron, those who were descended from him did not necessarily inherit his holiness. This is why Christ came as the fulfilment of what was foreshadowed in Melchizedek, the true king of peace; his very name means true king of holiness. He has no father, no mother, no genealogy; his years have no beginning, his life no end. All of this applies to the Son of God, who had no mother in his divine generation, no father when born of the Virgin Mary; begotten of the Father alone before time began, born of a virgin alone when he entered this world of time. Since there can be no doubt that he who is from eternity had no beginning, how can there be any ending for him who gives its being to everything that exists? He is truly the beginning and end of all things. These words also point to the ideal for every priest, namely, that he should be, as it were, without father or mother; that is, chosen not by reason of his aristocratic birth, but because of his moral integrity and outstanding virtue. Sit in eo fides et morum maturitas, non alterum sine altero sed utrumque in uno cum bonis operibus conveniat et factis. Unde nos apostolus Paulus eorum vult esse imitatores qui per fidem, inquit, et patientiam possident repromissiones Abrahae, qui per patientiam promissae sibi benedictionis meruit accipere et possidere gratiam. Imitatores nos sancti Aaron David propheta debere esse admonet, qui eum inter sanctos domini ad imitandum nobis constituit dicens: Moyses et Aaron in sacerdotibus eius et Samuhel inter invocantes nomen eius. A priest should be a person of faith and mature character. It is not enough for him to have only one of these qualities; he must have both, together with good deeds to prove it. And so the apostle Paul would have us imitate those who, through faith and long-suffering, have inherited the promises made to Abraham, the man who, by his patient endurance, deserved to receive the blessings promised him and the grace which sanctified him. And the prophet David urges us to emulate the holiness of Aaron a man he placed among the Lord's saints when he said: Moses and Aaron are among his priests, and Samuel among those who call on his name.

Prayer