In every Christian, the New Testament sees a priest. Every person baptised in Christ receives a call from God and is raised up as His servant by the Grace of the Holy Spirit: "who has made us competent to be ministers of a new covenant" (2 Cor 3: 6), and all who serve do so before an altar not made by human hands but one created by God: "a minister in the sanctuary and the true tent that the Lord, and not any mortal, has set up" (Heb 8: 2). With Christ all sacrifice becomes spiritual, and is offered in his name. At the Last and Mystical Supper, he commanded the Church to make an everlasting offering, and, thus constantly to build up the Household of the Faith: "like living stones, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ (1 Peter 2:5).
Paul speaks frequently of the diversity of gifts of service within the Church. The Holy Spirit distributes his gifts, his charisms, and makes of some: "apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers, to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ." (Eph 4: 11-12). The Gifts of the Holy Spirit are given to be used effectively, and, the fullness of grace imparted to each believer is given for the sake of all. However, the life of the Church is centred on the ministry of service which Christ established in the call of the Apostles: "follow me and I will make you fishers of men" (Mk 1: 17). Christ chose the Apostles and entrusted with the continuation of his presence amongst humankind – they were to proclaim him and to be his "witnesses to the ends of the earth" (Acts 1: 8).
The Apostle Paul became an apostle because he was called just as the Lord had called the Twelve: "But when God, who had set me apart before I was born and called me through his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son to me, so that I might proclaim him among the Gentiles, I did not confer with any human being" (Gal 1: 15-16).
The call to the apostolate in the priestly ministry arises from the Grace of the Holy Spirit: "As the Father has sent me, so I send you. When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit" (Jn 20: 21-22). The Apostle Paul assures us that he was not called by any human agency but by Jesus Christ: "Paul an apostle--sent neither by human commission nor from human authorities, but through Jesus Christ" (Gal 1: 1).
The priestly minstry of service is founded in the proclamation and teaching of the Good News. The priest is an apostle of Jesus Christ, the Head of the Church. The priest must be as a shepherd imitating the Good Shepherd who gave offered up his life for his sheep. The priest must preserve the Pledge: "Guard the good treasure entrusted to you, with the help of the Holy Spirit living in us" (2 Tim 1: 14).
Issam John Darwish BSO, DD Eparch