Homily: Jan 20 2017 - Sts. Sebastian & Fabian - Jesus the High Priest & His martyrs

One of the overarching themes of the letter to the Hebrews is the priesthood of Jesus Christ. In a Jewish context, “priest” meant something very specific: a descendant of Aaron who offered animal sacrifices in the Jerusalem temple in accord with the Mosaic law. So to call Jesus a priest is strange because Jesus fits none of those characteristics.

Yet, Hebrews shows how Jesus is indeed High Priest in a way that fulfills and infinitely surpasses the old priesthood of the Mosaic law. He is the priest who uniquely offers himself in sacrifice—he is both the offer-er and the offering, the priest and victim.

In today’s reading, Hebrews shows that this new priesthood was foretold in the Old Testament. And it does so by quoting the prophet Jeremiah, this quotation actually being the longest Old Testament quotation in the entire New Testament. This should tell us something about how important this concept is.

The reading began with explaining how Jesus the High Priest forms a new covenant. We speak of the “new and everlasting covenant” at every Mass. If a new covenant was needed, what was wrong with the first covenant? Hebrews clarifies that the problem was not in the covenant itself, but with the people who were unfaithful to it.

So the High Priest does for us, what we could not do for ourselves. We could not free ourselves from sin, we could not open the doors to heaven. Jesus the High Priest offers himself for us and for our salvation because we could not save ourselves.

Today, the Church honors two martyrs, Saint Sebastian the former soldier who called out the Emperor Diocletian for his persecution of the Church, and Pope Saint Fabian who suffered torture and death at the hands of Emperor Decius.

Two martyrs who offered themselves in union with Jesus the High Priest for the good of the Church. They suffered for the truth of the Gospel; they suffered that the Word of God would not be stifled, that the promise of salvation through Christ would be made known to the ends of the earth.

Today on this Inauguration Day, we certainly pray for the president-elect. Some of our citizens are overjoyed at his election, some are in deep despair. We recall today, that our salvation is not in an earthly prince, but in the High Priest. We recall that whoever takes the high office of earthly leader, does not change the job of each one of us, to witness faithfully to Christ, to offer our lives in service to Him. We render unto Caesar what is Caesar’s and unto God what is God’s for the glory of God and salvation of souls.





Our petitions this morning are those composed for the inauguration of President George Washington by Archbishop John Carroll, First Roman Catholic bishop in our country whose brother Charles Carroll was one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence.

We pray Thee, O God of might, wisdom, and justice! Through Whom authority is rightly administered, laws are enacted, and judgment decreed, assist with Thy holy spirit of counsel and fortitude the President of the United States, that his administration may be conducted in righteousness, and be eminently useful to Thy people over whom he presides; by encouraging due respect for virtue and religion; by a faithful execution of the laws in justice and mercy; and by restraining vice and immorality. We pray to the Lord.

Let the light of Thy divine wisdom direct the deliberations of Congress, and shine forth in all the proceedings and laws framed for our rule and government, so that they may tend to the preservation of peace, the promotion of national happiness, the increase of industry, sobriety, and useful knowledge; and may perpetuate to us the blessing of equal liberty.

We pray for all judges, magistrates, and other officers who are appointed to guard our political welfare, that they maybe enabled, by Thy powerful protection, to discharge the duties of their respective stations with honesty and ability.

We recommend likewise, to Thy unbounded mercy, all our brethren and fellow citizens throughout the United States, that they may be blessed in the knowledge and sanctified in the observance of Thy most holy law; that they may be preserved in union, and in that peace which the world cannot give; and after enjoying the blessings of this life, be admitted to those which are eternal.

And we pray especially for all of our countrymen who have gone before us in faith, for all those who have fought and died for our country’s freedom, for all the of the deceased members of our family and friends, and for N., for whom this Mass is offered.