The Significance of Sacrifice in a Priest’s Life according to the Teaching of Benedict XVI

Abstract

This article presents the sacrificial nature of a priest’s life by elucidating the concept of sacrifice through the offerings of the Old Testament. The division of imperfect offerings by Old Testament priests is portrayed as a foreshadowing of Christ’s ultimate sacrifice on the cross, as well as the offerings of the New Testa-ment and the connection of every priest to Jesus’s sacrifice. The sacrificial char-acter of a priest’s life is underscored. Firstly, the concept of sacrifice is defined, followed by an exploration of the Old Testament offerings, which provides an image of the Old Testament priesthood and sacrificial worship. The conclusions draw attention to the priest’s role as a servant of God, ready for sacrifices, an unblemished individual adhering to divine law. The archetype of sacrifice in the Old Testament, according to Benedict XVI, is Abraham’s offering, a precursor to Christ’s sacrifice on the cross. The New Testament sacrifice offered by Jesus on Golgotha remains relevant today, enacted in every Mass as an unbloody offering. Every priest is incorporated into this sacrifice by celebrating it during the Eucharist. The entirety of a priest’s life bears a sacrificial nature. Priests offer the unbloody sacrifice on their own behalf and on behalf of all believers. They do so by the authority and command of Christ, who selects priests and empowers them through ordination to perform the unbloody sacrifice.