Thursday of the Second Week in Ordinary Time
January 19, 2023
Daily Reading from the USCCB: Hebrews 7:25-8:6
The text of Hebrews has been showing us Christ as an eternal and perfect priest–superior to Levitical priests.
Today’s reading goes on to point out that Christ is holy, innocent, and undefiled. He has no need to make sacrifices to make up for his own sinfulness as the Levitical priests do. He is precisely the kind of high priest we need–a priest forever offering his one sacrifice in the presence of the Father in heaven.
Levitical priests made their repeated offerings in a sanctuary that is a copy of God’s eternal sanctuary of heaven. Jesus’ offering takes place in the heavenly sanctuary itself. Jesus is the one true priest forever, and he intercedes for us. It’s good to offer him our thanks.
