“But this one offered one sacrifice for sins, and took his seat forever at the right hand of God.” (Hebrews 10:12.)
In commenting on this verse from today’s Second Reading, Saint John Chrysostom writes:
“Do not then, having heard that he is a priest, suppose that he is always executing the priest’s office. For he executed it once and thenceforward “sat down.” Lest you suppose that he is standing on high and is a minister, he shows that the matter is part of a dispensation or economy. For as he became a servant, so also he became a priest and a minister. But as, after becoming a servant, he did not continue a servant, so also, having become a minister, he did not continue a minister. For it belongs not to a minister to sit but to stand.”(On the Epistle to the Hebrews, 13.)
“Because Christ “with a unique oblation has made perfect for ever those who receive sanctification,” however, he “is seated” and no longer has need to offer sacrifice. To confirm that Christ “is seated at God’s right hand,” the author has recourse to the first oracle in Ps 109( 110) and then uses that oracle to show that Christ no longer has to offer any sacrifice. He simply has to wait “for his enemies to be placed under his feet like a footstool.” In the oracle in the psalm, the verb "to place" is in the active; God himself sees to it that the enemies of the King-Messiah are placed under his feet. With greater reserve, the author used the passive and did not indicate the subject of the action.” (Cardinal Albert Vanhoye, The Letter to the Hebrews: A New Commentary. Paulist Press 978-0809149285, pages 163.)
Collect
Grant us, we pray, O Lord our God,
the constant gladness of being devoted to You,
for it is full and lasting happiness
to serve with constancy
the Author of all that is good.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son
Who lives and reigns with You
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
the constant gladness of being devoted to You,
for it is full and lasting happiness
to serve with constancy
the Author of all that is good.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son
Who lives and reigns with You
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Glory to the Father
and to the Son
and to the Holy Spirit:
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and will be forever. Amen
