Friday Evening Prayer finds us with a brief Scripture from Hebrews. It’s not the first mention in this book.
The traditional priest came from among the people, and represented them before
God. Two, his prayer and sacrifice are effective because he shares the state of the humanity of the people: vulnerable, in need, and so forth. Last, the priest is called by God, not by some own sense of where he wants to be. The conclusion of this section (5:1-10) of Jesus as high priest refers to his Passion, and the exemplary way he embodied these traditional qualities:
Son though he was,
Christ learned obedience
from what he suffered;
and when perfected,
he became the source of eternal salvation
for all who obey him,
designated by God as high priest
according to the order of Melchizedek.
Jesus was born in the flesh in humble origins. His public life was filled with episodes of prayer, and the miracles were clearly the agency of God with Jesus’ prayer being part of these. Remember that question he often asked, “What do you want me to do for you?” Once we can form the prayer in our minds and on our lips, Jesus is ready. In Easter time, the burnish of the glory of the empty tomb might fade, and we have fallen back into an ordinary pattern of life–maybe too soon. A reminder of the power of Jesus as our priest and intercessor is a valuable thing.
Catholic Sensibility 