It is 19th January 2017. The readings are from Hebrews 7:25-8:6; and the Gospel from Mark 3:7-12. The first reading elaborates the priesthood of Christ. The passages reveals the qualities of the ideal high priest. “For it was fitting that we should have the ideal high priest to be holy, innocent and uncontaminated, beyond the influence of sinners, and exalted above the heavens.” (Heb.7:26). Jesus is our High Priest and the model for all the ministerial and common priesthood. Jesus offered His very self as a sacrifice and a total self-oblation. Jesus was sinless even though He was in the form of man. His offering of love to the Father was perfect and annihilating all the impact of sins on humanity. Every priest must be holy, sinless, able to be a channel to God, reveals the face of God through one’s sacrifices, love and charity. The Church either suffers or praised the way a priest lives, relates and conducts himself among the people of God. The priesthood is indeed the vocation to serve and lead others to God by loving and respecting everyone without any prejudice whatsoever. A priest needs to be holy, innocent and uncontaminated by ideology or a group. The duty of a priest just does not end only by offering the sacrifices at the Altar of mercy rather the life of a priest needs to be a constant and consistent sacrifice every moment of his life. A holy priest is the one who is fully human having a deep intimacy with God and willing to empathize with all people on behalf of God through Jesus Christ. The responsorial Psalm acclaims, “Here I am, Lord! I come to do your will.” (Ps.39:8,9). The Gospel narrates the busy schedule of Jesus doing to all people. Refusing to accept the witness and acknowledgement as Christ by the demons, Jesus continues to heal people even though people pursued Him only for material gain not for spiritual empowerment and welfare. Our search for Christ must end up only in accumulating material blessings rather it must end in recognizing and believing Jesus as the Son of God who loves us all the time. May God kindly bless you all and let us remember to pray for all the priests who inspired us, and even those who made us to perspire; all those priests who made us to come closer to God and even all those priests who chased us away from God’s presence and God’s church. Let us server the Lord in purity of heart and holiness all the days of our lives. Have a good day.