BONUS Reflection!

Jeremiah 31: 31-34 brings our readings from Jeremiah to an ecstatic climax. It describes our relationship with God in the “new covenant” sealed in Christ’s blood and confirmed by the gift of his Spirit: “Deep within them I will plant my law, writing it on their hearts!” 

In the Church, the new covenanted community established by Christ, 

There will be no further need for neighbor to try to teach neighbor, or… say, “Learn to know the Lord.” No, they will all know me, the least no less than the greatest. 

The Holy Spirit creates a new heart in every believer at Baptism. Every member of the Church is an anointed, consecrated, divinely appointed priest, prophet and king, or steward of Christ’s kingship. There are no “non-priests” in the Church, no one who does not have the gift and call to bear prophetic witness, no one whom Jesus has not made his “steward,” responsible for fostering the reign of God on earth (Matthew 24:45). Baptism commits and empowers us all to fulfill the triple function of Jesus, Priest, Prophet and King. 

This does not mean there is no need for us to minister to each other. We must, but as equals to equals. We teach one another, but we don’t claim the status of “teacher,” because Jesus said, “you have [only] one teacher [Jesus], and you are all students.” There are different functions and gifts, but “to each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good” (Matthew 23:8; 1Corinthians 12:7; Romans 12: 4-8). Bishops and ordained priests have particular functions of teaching and stewardship (Titus 1:7), and there are different degrees of authority in the Church. But to attach degrees of dignity to differences in authority or function is to violate the teaching of Jesus (Matthew 23: 1-12; Luke 9: 46-48; 22: 24-27). In the New Covenant, those who teach are just fellow students reciting what they have learned, and those who learn are all teachers of what they have learned so far. 

In Matthew 16: 13-23, Jesus gives Peter the authority to keep the Church united and faithful to his teaching. But Peter’s first act is to oppose God’s way of saving the world! “This must not happen to you!” Popes sin and err, as do bishops, priests, and laity. Jesus “guarantees” some ministries (infallible definitions of dogma, the sacraments), but not the holiness or wisdom of any minister. To downplay the role of laity by thinking there is something “higher” about the hierarchy or clergy is the sin of clericalism. We are all equally called and consecrated to minister in different ways. So all of us pray, “A pure heart create for me, O God” 

The Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 51) asks: “A pure heart create for me, O God”. 

Prayer Prompt: How do I live out my baptismal consecration to ministry? 

— Fr. David M. Knight

View today’s Mass readings, Lectionary #614, on the USCCB website here

Fr. David M. Knight (1931-2021) was a priest of the Diocese of Memphis in Tennessee, a prolific writer, and a highly sought after confessor, spiritual director, and retreat master. He authored more than 40 books and hundreds of articles that focus primarily on lay spirituality and life-long spiritual growth.