By Father Paul Nord, O.S.B., Sunday Scripture
First Reading: Genesis 14:18-20; Response: Psalm 110:1-4; Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 11:23-26; Sequence: Lauda Sion; Gospel: Luke 9:11b-17
The name Melchizedek means “King of Righteousness.” He is described as both the “king of Salem” and “priest of God Most High.” In the preceding verses (Gen 14:1-17), Abram rescued his nephew Lot and his household by winning a battle against several kings who had taken Lot captive. After Abram won this battle, Melchizedek blesses Abram and proclaims that God Most High “delivered your foes into your hand.”
This is Melchizedek’s only appearance in Genesis, but his words show that he is a priest of the one true God – the LORD (YHWH) – whom Abram also serves. Abram gives Melchizedek “a tenth of everything.” This is an act of thanksgiving to God for victory in the battle – given to Melchizedek, priest of God Most High.
Melchizedek appears only once more in the Old Testament – in Psalm 110, today’s responsorial psalm. Jesus cites Psalm 110 in the Gospel of Mark (12:35-37), saying: “How do the scribes claim that the Messiah is the son of David? David himself, inspired by the Holy Spirit, said: ‘The Lord said to my lord, “Sit at my right hand until I place your enemies under your feet.”’ David himself calls him ‘lord;’ so how is he his son?” Following Jesus, the New Testament writers repeatedly point to Psalm 110 as evidence that Jesus is the Messiah and is superior to David.
Psalm 110 also says: “The LORD has sworn and will not waver: ‘You are a priest forever in the line of Melchizedek’” (110:4). The Letter to the Hebrews (5:6) cites this verse to explain how Jesus, as high priest, reconciles God and humanity through the blood of his cross. Hebrews 6:19-20 depicts Jesus entering into the innermost sanctuary of the Temple (“the Holy of Holies) – where the high priest entered to offer sacrifice. This inner sanctuary was “behind the veil, where Jesus has entered on our behalf as forerunner, becoming high priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek” (6:20). Hebrews 7 then explains how Jesus’ high priesthood is anticipated by Melchizedek’s priesthood and the Aaronite priesthood of the Jerusalem Temple. But Jesus has “become the guarantee of an [even] better covenant.” Jesus “has a priesthood that does not pass away. Therefore, he is always able to save those who approach God through him” (Heb 7:22-25).
Hebrews 7:17 cites Psalm 110:4 a second time as referring to Jesus: “You are a priest forever in the line of Melchizedek.” The Church has maintained this scriptural association. For example, the Roman Canon (First Eucharistic Prayer) prays: “Be pleased to look upon these offerings… and to accept them, as once you were pleased to accept the gifts of your servant Abel the just, the sacrifice of Abraham, our father in faith and the offering of your high priest Melchizedek, a holy sacrifice, a spotless victim.” Further, when a Catholic priest is ordained, Psalm 110 is usually sung with the response: “You are a priest forever, in the line of Melchizedek.” This depicts Christ’s high priesthood – under which a Catholic priest serves – as a perfect fulfillment of the priesthood of Melchizedek, who faithfully served God Most High.
Next (1 Cor 11:23-26), St. Paul gives an account of the Last Supper, in which Jesus took bread, gave thanks, and broke the bread saying: “This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” Jesus likewise took the cup and said: “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this… in remembrance of me.” Paul here provides an important witness to the early Church’s celebration of the Eucharist, in obedience to Jesus’ words. Paul’s account is similar to Mark 14:22-25, Matthew 26:26-29, and Luke 22:15-20 – which also recount Jesus’ words at the Last Supper.
Jesus commands his disciples to regularly receive his body and blood “in remembrance of me.” By doing this, we “proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes.” The Eucharist is thus “food for the journey.” We unite ourselves to Christ’s sufferings, having faith that the Eucharist will sustain us in this life as we await Christ’s return.
The Gospel is Luke’s account of Jesus’ miraculous feeding of the multitude. Jesus teaches the crowds about the kingdom of God, and he cures many sick persons. Then Jesus also attends to their most basic need – for food. There were 5,000 “men” – the word is specifically masculine. Jesus and his disciples have only five loaves and two fish, and yet Jesus miraculously feeds the whole crowd by his divine power. Note Jesus’ actions – he “took” the loaves and fish, he “blessed” them, “broke” them and then “gave” them. These are essentially the same actions recorded by Paul, Mark, Matthew and Luke in the verses mentioned above. Paul says Jesus “gave thanks” over the bread. Mark says Jesus “gave thanks” over the wine. Here in Luke’s account of Jesus’ multiplication of the loaves and fish, Jesus is “looking up to heaven” – which is an act of thanksgiving and prayer.
Shortly before this, Jesus had taken the apostles and “withdrew in private to a town called Bethsaida” (9:10). But Jesus and his apostles were followed by the crowd of people, whom Jesus then feeds. The text says Jesus works this miracle “in a deserted place” (9:12) outside of the villages. Apparently they left Bethsaida so that Jesus could gather and teach the large crowd.
The final verse says: “when the leftover fragments were picked up, they filled twelve wicker baskets.” This shows that Jesus provided an abundance of food for the crowd. There is a similar event recorded in 2 Kings 4:42-44. The prophet Elisha told his servant to place 20 barley loaves before 100 men. Like Jesus’ disciples, Elisha’s servant objects that such a large crowd cannot be fed with so little. Elisha responds that the LORD says: “You will eat and have some left over” – and so it happens. But Jesus feeds many more people with fewer bread loaves, which shows that Jesus is greater than the prophet Elisha.