THE SOLEMNITY OF THE MOST HOLY BODY AND BLOOD OF CHRIST, JUNE 22, 2025

Mosaic of The offer of Melchizedek in presbytery of the church Basilica di San Vitale

MASS READINGS

Reading I Genesis 14:18-20

In those days, Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought out bread and wine, and being a priest of God Most High, he blessed Abram with these words:           

"Blessed be Abram by God Most High,                       

the creator of heaven and earth;           

and blessed be God Most High,                       

who delivered your foes into your hand."

Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.

REFLECTION

"Melchizedek, king of Salem, brought out bread and wine."

Who is this person, Melchizedek? Where is Salem?

According to the Catholic Encyclopedia*, Melchizedek was a king, the King of Salem, which is Jerusalem. Salem also means peace, so he is the king of peace:

"This “Melchizedek, king of Salem and priest of God Most High,” “met Abraham as he returned from his defeat of the kings” and “blessed him." And Abraham apportioned to him “a tenth of everything.” His name first means righteous king, and he was also “king of Salem,” that is, king of peace.(Heb 7:1-2)

According to Scott Hahn and Curtis Mitch, "the order of Melchizedek is the patriarchal order of priesthood that functioned for many centuries before the ordination of Aaron and his sons took place at Mt. Sinai" **

So the priesthood of Jesus was not a new concept, that is pretty amazing by itself, since the sons of Aaron were priests, but not kings.

During the last supper, Jesus confers His priesthood to His disciples: "And I confer a kingdom on you, just as my Father has conferred one on me, that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom; and you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel." (Lk 22:29-30)

Last He tells the disciples: "Then he took the bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which will be given for you; do this in memory of me.”" (Lk 22:19)

The word that refers to memory in this passage is anamnesis, which means a ritual act perpetuating a memory.

In summary, Jesus is priest and king in the order of Melchizedek. He confers His kingdom to His disciples. And He tells them to continue the sacrament of the Eucharist in his memory.

It is truly mind-boggling how much God loves us that His plan to give Himself to us was put in motion thousands of years before the birth of Christ. And then Jesus Himself appoints His disciples to the office of the priesthood for this sacrament of the Eucharist. And all priests that followed have continued the offering of the Body and Blood of Christ in the Eucharist every-single-day.

Thank you Jesus for loving us so much!

* Catholic Encyclopedia

** https://www.catholic.com/magazine/online-edition/when-apostles-became-priests