Sujeto Juvenil

given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls:

for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.

partakers of the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4)

,

As the sacrifice of the Mass is not conceived save in dependence on the sacrifice of the Cross, so the Christian priesthood is not explained save in dependence on and as sacramental participation in the priest-hood of Christ.

Whereas Christ offered himself, every other priest offers something outside himself and in so doing, becomes that, which he offers, i.e.

his own sinful self (as we all do during the mass). The priest’s offer-ing, therefore, is a confirmation of himself as the victim that is offer- ed. To be a priest according to the order of Melchizedek (Christ Jes-us), the priest must, like Him, offer himself. In other words he cannot be content to offer Christ to the Father in the sacramental signs of bread and wine without offering himself with these to the Father.

Thus, were ye formerly workers of iniquity and associated with work-ers of iniquity; but now ye are separated from them and united toge-ther to work out your salvation with fear and trembling before God (1st Corinthians 6:11).

Catholics should show reverence and honor to the priest becau-se he is the reprebecau-sentative of Christ Himbecau-self and the dispensor of His mysteries.

In showing reverence and honor to the priest one shows reverence and honor to Christ Himself, for the priest in a very true sense is ‘ano-ther Christ’.

Matthew 20:25-28 ,

Ye know that the princes of the Gentiles exercise dominion over them, and they that are great exercise dominion over them, and they that are great excercise authority upon them. But it shall not be so among you: but whosoever will be great among you, let him be your minis-ter; and whosoever will be chief among you, let him be your servant:

Even as the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minis-ter, and to give his life a ransom for many.

[Adrian Rogers, © Love Worth Finding Ministries],

[Robert T. Weaver ©],

[Guardian of Truth Foundation ©]

At the heart of the priestly and religious community vocation is the mystery of divine love and election. In response to God's preference, a member (priest or brother) desires absolutely nothing to the love of Christ and denies himself in order to follow Christ through a life of celibacy. Therefore, celibacy has consistently been understood as an essential part of that special form of following Christ , which the Chu-rch calls the religious life. Celibacy is embraced as a declaration of the priest or community of brothers’ intense dedication to God and of an intimate solidarity with Christ, which furthers their openness to the call of God for His service. Therefore, celibacy is not sought for its own sake, but for the sake of the kingdom as a sign and witness to the kingdom that is coming, ‘being called with an heavenly calling, e-ven with the high calling of God in Christ Jesus’. It implies leaving un-chosen something good (marriage) in the interest of that kingdom where there will be neither marrying nor giving in marriage (Matth-ew 22:30).

Celibacy implies a rigorous self-denial and active self-restraint, which is vital if the person’s life of prayer to God is to be preserved and be fruitful towards spiritual growth for himself and others. Seen as a sign for the coming kingdom and of its spiritual fertility that mani- fests itself in the love for and service to one's brothers, celibacy (like entering marriage and raising a family), becomes a way of self-sacrifi-ce in union with Christ.

Through celibacy he seeks to enter more fully into that mystery of lo-ving obedience whereby Christ, fulfilling his Father's will, laid down his life for his brethren and opened for the future the hope of the re-surrection. This is why he seeks to place God's will before all selfish impulse and why his obedience becomes a manifesto of fidelity to his brethren and of his responsibility to his own community, the Church, and the world.

Far from being an attempt to crush the human will, which is consider-ed to be radically evil or from being a mere technique to insure effici-ency of institutional operation, the member's obedience becomes that love of neighbor, which schools one for life in the family of God.

Celibacy and obedience, therefore, are intended to liberate the priest or brother through the power of the cross in order to give his natural talents the capacity for growth and to increase his dedication to that worship and service which are the vocation of the children of God.

Placing himself in a community of brothers under a leader, or a frat-ernity of priests under a bishop, the member further readies himself to follow the call of God through obedience. Obedience, which refers to a giving heed to the dictates of the leader, brethern or bishop, can be seen as an expression of the faith and hope of the member.

In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on im-mortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory (1Corinthians 15:51-54).

In Luke 16:16

since the time of John the Baptist the Gospel of the King-dom of God has been proclaimed.

But He said to them, I must preach the kingdom of God to the other cities also, for I was sent for this purpo-se. (Luke 4:43).

Acts 28:30-31.

John 3:3,5-6, Except a man be