‘Prince of Peace’. ‘King of peace’. The first is a name Isaiah gave to the Messiah who was to come; the other is the title Abraham gave to Melchizedek.
Mark’s Gospel shows Jesus as a real bringer of peace, but not the peace we often think of where armies lay down their weapons and nations live together amicably. Think of the inner turmoil and brokenness of the man with a withered hand Jesus encounters in the synagogue. Whether the infirmity of the hand was congenital or caused by illness or injury, the man could do little to support himself. If no family was near to help him, he would be shunned and probably homeless and destitute. With a simple direction, “Stretch out your hand,” Jesus healed the man, taking him from a hard and wretched life to one of peace, rejoicing, and contentment, with a brighter future and real hope.
The Letter to the Hebrews reminds us of a precursor of Jesus Christ: the priest and king Melchizedek, a Canaanite and honored friend and ally of Abraham. Neither a pagan nor an idolater (but still a gentile!), he led his people in worship of the One, True God. As king of ‘Salem,’ he was king of ‘peace.’ (In Hebrew and Arabic: shalom and salaam.) For the third day in a row, the Letter to the Hebrews returns to Genesis, the first book of the Torah, to retell the story of Abraham meeting Melchizedek, who brings him bread and wine to celebrate a victory over enemies. Our Psalm 110 repeats for the fourth time: You are a priest forever, in the line of Melchizedek.
Do you get the point? Take it personally! You belong to the new priesthood founded by Jesus to bring new life through the Spirit and the Holy Eucharist!
Let Us Pray:
May we enjoy forever the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, and become one with the Eucharist, Christ’s Holy Body and Blood. Amen.