By Ian Vergel
Christ
Where does Christ come from?
Christology teaches us that Christ comes from the Greek Christos and the Hebrew Messiah meaning the anointed one of God. It is a title. A title reserved to those who were sent to do the work of God. Christ the title eventually became attached to the name, Jesus. This person we now know today as Jesus Christ.
This combination of Jesus Christ, name and title, gives us an interesting insight. The two are inseparable. Who he is and what he did are inseparable. His being and his doing are inseparable. In the person of Jesus Christ name and title, being and doing, are perfectly intertwined.
Like Jesus, all of us here have been anointed. We have been anointed with the imprint of Christ. As Christians our doing must then match our being.
How can our doing match our being? Today, I would like to remind us of our Christian duty. Our Christian duty as sharers in the offices of Jesus Christ: priest, prophet and king.
Priest, Prophet, King
Priest
In the Mass we always hear the words at the end of the Eucharistic Prayer: Through him, with him and in him. Him refers to Christ. Christ is the point where the human meets with the divine. It is the meeting point between heaven and earth. Our priestly office is exercised in our celebration and participation in Mass. The Mass is a taste of heaven and earth, the elevation of the heart and mind to God and the body and soul united to Christ. Together with the People of God we remain always through him, with him and in him.
Prophet
Our prophetic office means we speak the truth and teach what Christ teaches. We do not speak of our own doctrines, rules and ideas. Instead, we teach and share the faith handed onto us from Jesus, the apostles and their successors. It is a common tendency for us to recite word for word scripture passages, catechism paragraphs, canons in canon law and doctrinal statements whenever we teach. These are well and good, but they can be obtained from Google. They can be accessed through ChatGPT. When we teach, we also need to know who’s in front of us: the human person. In our prophetic office, we must know God and the teachings of the Church. But it is also important we know the people in front of us so that we can best communicate Christ to them.
King
Our office in the kingship of Christ is to build the kingdom of God here on Earth. The true reign of Christ lies in his charity and service. Likewise, the true markers of Christians here on earth are charity and service. This is where our doing matches with our being. Charity and service allows others to know the reality of God’s kingdom. Charity and service shows others that God’s kingdom is from above but also being built here below. Charity and service show we are anointed ones of Christ because charity and service reflect Christ himself.
Priest, Prophet and King
As we approach the final week of Lent, let us examen our Christian duty. Let us examen our roles as sharers in the offices of Christ. May our action always flow from our being. And in doing so, may others know where we come from, as members of the anointed one, Jesus Christ.