Prayer for the unity of Christians. Particular memory of the protestant Churches and ecclesial communities (Lutheran, Reformed, Methodist, Baptist, Pentecostal and Evangelic).

Reading of the Word of God

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

You are a chosen race,
a royal priesthood, a holy nation,
a people acquired by God
to proclaim his marvellous works.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

Hebrews 7,1-3.15-17

Melchizedek, king of Salem, a priest of God Most High, came to meet Abraham when he returned from defeating the kings, and blessed him; and Abraham gave him a tenth of everything. By the interpretation of his name, he is, first, 'king of saving justice' and also king of Salem, that is, 'king of peace'; he has no father, mother or ancestry, and his life has no beginning or ending; he is like the Son of God. He remains a priest for ever. This becomes even more clearly evident if another priest, of the type of Melchizedek, arises who is a priest not in virtue of a law of physical descent, but in virtue of the power of an indestructible life. For he is attested by the prophecy: You are a priest for ever of the order of Melchizedek.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

You will be holy,
because I am holy, thus says the Lord.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia

The author of the letter wants to demonstrate that Jesus' priesthood is linked to the one of Melchizedek rather than to the one of the Levites that connected to Aaron and his descendants. Verses 4-14 explain Jesus' relationship with Melchisedek and not with Aaron. Melchizedek is presented as a character 'other' in connection with the history of Israel, a forerunner of God's promises and of Christ's own priesthood. Jesus - the author of the letter wishes to emphasise - represents a 'different priesthood' (v. 15) from that of Israel, which refers to Aaron. Jesus' priesthood is an everlasting priesthood, because it is realised not according to a human, but a divine lineage, as Psalm 110 sings: "Priest for ever, according to the order of Melchizedek." Jesus is the priest of humanity, a universal priest, who came for the whole of humanity. And together we become a people of priests, kings and prophets by virtue of the one sacrifice of Christ who made us sharers in his own divine life. To the communion of brothers and sisters of the holy people God has purchased are entrusted the very promises of God for the peoples of the earth: priests, because we are instruments of communion with the divine life that through baptism has entered into us; kings, because we receive the royal power of the Lord through his grace; prophets, called to communicate the joy of the Gospel of Christ who died and rose again for us.