(Chapter 14:18-20)
Melchizedek, identified in this passage as both “king of Salem” and as “priest of God Most High,” is mentioned only twice in the Old Testament—here and in Psalm 110, our Responsorial Psalm today. The context for these verses from the book of Genesis is that Abram, the patriarch of the Jewish people, has just succeeded in a battle against several regional kings—the “foes” mentioned in these verses—in the process, freeing his nephew Lot and others from captivity. The two references to Melchizedek have been the source of hundreds of years of commentary and speculation by Jewish and Christian scholars as to who he was and, indeed, as to whether he existed at all. Catholic thought views him as a prefigure of Jesus, both in his worship of the only true God and in his offering of bread and wine as reflecting a higher reality. In Jesus, we have the ultimate priest, the one whose body and blood we receive, embracing the Divine in a sacrament that requires no intermediary.
Responsorial Psalm
Although he is an obscure figure, Melchizedek has come, for Catholics, to be the archetype of the priest. In fact, the First Eucharistic Prayer refers to him as a “high priest.” The figure David anticipates in this psalm, however, is the Messiah whom we know to be Jesus Christ, the true High Priest who sacrificed his body and blood, sacrificed himself, so that we might live forever in the presence of God.
A reading from Saint Paul’s first Letter to the Corinthians
This letter was either written or dictated by Saint Paul, probably around 57 A.D.—in other words only about 24 years after the death and resurrection of Jesus. Can we help being struck by the fact that the Church, already spreading from Jerusalem in Israel to cities in neighboring countries, was using the same words that we now know as the words of consecration? How enduring is our faith in the risen Christ, and how close is our bond with all members of his Mystical Body, those living today and those who lived even in the far distant past!
A reading from the holy Gospel according to Luke
The gospels report two instances in which Jesus miraculously fed a large crowd. These incidents are often seen as prefigures of the Eucharist in which he feeds us with his body and his blood. In the instance Luke describes in today’s gospel passage, Jesus makes a curious remark when the apostles suggest that the people be dismissed to find food and lodging. “Give them some food yourselves,” Jesus says, knowing full well that his companions wouldn’t have had enough to feed so many, and then, with no further comment, he provides more than was needed. No matter where we live, we wouldn’t have to look far to find people who are hungry. Perhaps Jesus, with that remark, was preparing his disciples, including us, for the future. Jesus is not here to feed the hungry with a miracle, unless that “miracle” is our willingness to share what we have. No one of us can provide enough, never mind more than is needed, but together we can relieve the hunger of many. In fact, on a global scale, Pope Francis often pointed out that there are enough resources in the world to feed everyone. All it takes is the will to do it.
Photo by Josh Applegate on Unsplash.
Excerpts from the English translation of the Lectionary for Mass © 1969, 1981, 1997, International Commission on English in the Liturgy Corporation (ICEL). All rights reserved.
Charles Paolino is managing editor at RENEW International. He is a permanent deacon of the Diocese of Metuchen.