More than being behind the Altar

What is the priesthood? Is it just administering the Sacraments? Sure the Eucharist is at the center of the priesthood and the mission of the priest. But I am not talking about the mere bread and wine. Rather, I am talking about the nature of it—sacrifice. The Eucharist is a physical remembrance, left by Christ, of the sacrifice he made for us on the cross. It is a representation of what we must go through in life as a Christian. During the “Lamb of God” at Mass, the consecrated host is broken apart, just as Christ was broken as he became the eternal lamb, the eternal sacrifice, replacing all other lambs and sacrifices made at the Jewish Temple.

The life of a priest is a life of sacrifice. But he is not the only one called to this. So also are all men and women, lay and religious. We are all called to take part in the Supper of the Lamb, in his sacrifice for us, one way or another. Nonetheless, we are all called to receive Christ through this Sacrament, along with the others, and take it to all ends of the earth. And we are to do so without any fear, as death has already been defeated.

In today’s Church, with the dwindling number of priests in our parishes, it is becoming more and more obvious that you do not need to be a priest, or even a male, to take a position of leadership. Until we begin to get more vocations, there will be more and more places for others to take a role of leadership in the place of the Priest. But even before now, so many lay people, especially woman, have already had (and still hold) places of power in the Church. St Catherine, Mother Angelica, Mother Teresa, Saint Cecilia, and Dorothy Day are but a few major influential women throughout history.

What necessity is it really for someone to personally be able to consecrate the bread and wine, administering the Eucharist? You still get to receive it and take it to others through a variety of careers. You still get to bring Christ to life in your community, evangelizing where the priest is unable to go. The laity and religious brothers/sisters truly are the ones on the front lines. The focus should reside in the meaning of the sacrifice and our daily living it for others.