Responsorial Psalm Ps 110:1, 2, 3, 4
R. (4b) You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek. The LORD said to my Lord: "Sit at my right hand till I make your enemies your footstool." R. You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek. The scepter of your power the LORD will stretch forth from Zion: "Rule in the midst of your enemies." R. You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek. "Yours is princely power in the day of your birth, in holy splendor; before the daystar, like the dew, I have begotten you." R. You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek. The LORD has sworn, and he will not repent: "You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek." R. You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek.
REFLECTION: You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek.
St Hilary, Bishop of Poitiers, Doctor of the Church was born in Poitiers, France. He was sometimes referred to as the "Hammer of the Arians" and the "Athanasius of the West". His name in Latin stands for cheerful or happy. (1)
He was brought up in idolatry. He grew in faith when advanced in years. St Hilary was married before his conversion. His wife and daughter were alive when he became bishop. Though he tried to escape this office, in humility he finally accepted. He did such a good job that the Church took notice of him.
He wrote extensively on the Gospel of Matthew and the Psalms. In 355 the Emperor Costantius required all bishops to sign a condemnation of St Athanasius who defended orthodoxy and opposed Arianism. Arianism denied the divinity of Christ. St Hilary wrote an extensive treatise “On the Trinity” which is perhaps his most famous work. For his trouble, he was exiled by the Emperor, an Arian sympathizer to Phrygia 356-360 for not condemning the leading opponent of Arianism.
St Hilary wrote a book pleading with the Emperor to bring peace to the Church. (1)
But Hilary was not fighting a war of words, but a battle for the eternal life of the souls who might hear the Arians and stop believing in the Son of God, their hope of salvation. The death of Constantius in 361 ended the persecution of the orthodox Christians. Hilary died in 367 or 368 and was proclaimed a doctor of the Church in 1851 by Pope Pius IX. (1)
"Servants of the truth, ought to speak the truth." (St Hilary Poitiers). He would have made a perfect PAPA priest, standing up for the Lord, the Trinity and speaking the truth inspite of persecution.
"You are a priest for ever, in the line of Melchizedek."
(1) Butler's Lives of the Saints, 1991
God Bless You
