It is 16th January 2017. The readings are from Hebrews 5:1-10; and the Gospel from Mark 2:18-22. The first reading continues to explain the identity of Christ contrasting with the High Priest of the Old Testament. The fundamental task of the priest is to bring God closer to the life of people. No one can do on his own unless he is called and commission by God. A priest is called by God and appointed to act, to relate, to sacrifice, and to sympathize with the weak and ignorant of God’s love. The central and primary task of a priest to intercede and pray for himself and for God’s people. Jesus is our ideal High Priest who though He was God, yet so human. He is so loving, compassionate, forgiving able to understand our weaknesses. God alone chose Jesus to be the eternal priest by His obedience to the Father through His immeasurable sufferings, passion and death. We indeed have a high priest in Jesus who puts us all in peace with God in every moment of our lives. Jesus through His humanity He represented each one of us before God. “Although Jesus was Son, He learnt to obey through suffering; but having been made perfect, he became for all who obey Him the source of eternal salvation and was acclaimed by God with the tile of high priest of the order of Melchizedek.” (Heb.5:10). The responsorial Psalm praises, “You are a priest for ever, a priest like Melchizedek of old.” (Ps.109:4). The Gospel brings out the criticism and objection from those who oppose the ministry of Jesus. Every priest is criticized for one or the other. People begin to compare the functioning of the priest with someone always. As Jesus responded to those who oppose and criticize, we all who are called to the ministerial and common priest learn to be patient and prayerfully prudent in responding with respect. In all our service to the humanity, we need to be sensible and sensitive in respecting the old and including the new so as to bring the will of God for a modern people. Let us beware of being getting settled down with what we know and heard already. It is time to search for God with the new evangelizing thirst and hunger for meeting the Risen Christ, the Lamb of God. May you have a good day.