The Bible in a Year (with Fr. Mike Schmitz) - Day 45: Pray for Priests (2023)

Episode Date: February 14, 2023

As we read Exodus 29, Leviticus 21, and Psalm 119:121-176, Fr. Mike points out how God calls broken and imperfect men to his holy priesthood, and asks each of us to say a special prayer for priests today. For the complete reading plan, visit ascensionpress.com/bibleinayear. Please note: The Bible contains adult themes that may not be suitable for children - parental discretion is advised.

Hi, my name is Father Mike Schmitz, and you're listening to the Bible in a Year podcast, where we encounter God's voice and live life through the lens of Scripture. The Bible in a Year podcast is brought to you by Ascension. Using the Great Adventure Bible Timeline, we'll read all the way from Genesis to Revelation, discovering how the story of salvation unfolds and how we fit into that story today. This is day 45. Let's keep on trucking along. If you have the Bible reading plan, the Bible in a year reading plan, you know that you've been checking off these dates. You know, this is the last day on that first page,

which is a significant accomplishment. And that's one of the reasons why I recommend everyone going to ascensionpress.com slash Bible in a year to download that reading plan and even print it off because it's so great to be able to like cross it off and say, I'm moving, like we're actually going somewhere. So day 45, we're reading from Exodus chapter 29, still deep, deep in Exodus, Leviticus chapter 21. And we're praying today, that last section on Psalm 119, we'll be praying Psalm 119 verses 121 through 176. There is so much in Psalm 119 that the Lord just reveals to us about our own hearts, reveals to us about his heart. But even more, gosh, Exodus 29 and Leviticus 21. There is a deep connection today with both of these readings. One is because, well, the main reason is because they both talk about the priesthood and in Exodus talks about the ordination of priests. And then in Leviticus

talks about the need for priests to be holy. And so I'm just asking for you as we begin this, this time to pray for me, um, as well as pray for your pastor, pray for the associate priests, pray for all the priests in your life, because not only are they called to be set apart, but they're called to live in that way that, the one who set them apart and honors the one that they worship and honors the people that they're called to pray for. And so please, today on this day, day 45, please pray for our priests as we hear about the Old Testament priesthood and the need for priests to be holy. A little reminder, the Bible translation that I'm reading from is the Revised Standard Version, Second Catholic Edition.

I'm using the Great Adventure Bible from Ascension. You can get that at ascensionpress.com. Also, some people ask, when we were 45 days into this, and we're using the same translation the entire 365 days. So people will say, do I need to get the Revised Standard Version, Second Catholic Edition? You don't have to. It helps a lot. But the Bible translation that we use at Mass is called the New American Bible.

And I like that translation. That's the one that I will use on a daily basis. Well, actually now I use both the Revised Standard Version, Second Catholic Edition, the Great Adventure Bible, as well as my New American Bible on a daily basis because we're doing this. And there's something really good about having one translation. There's also something really good about having multiple translations that you're really familiar with. And so whatever translation you like, that's the one to use. That's what Jeff Cavins always will say. I remember him saying the first time I heard him say that, he said, what Bible translation is the best? The one that you are willing to read. And so hopefully the one you're listening to is one that is speaking to your heart and to your mind and feeding you as well.

Please subscribe in your podcast app. Here we are. Let's actually get to God's word as we read from Exodus chapter 29, Leviticus chapter 21 and Psalm 119. Exodus chapter 29. The ordination of priests. Now, this is what you shall do to them to consecrate them, that they may serve me as priests. Take one young bull and two rams without blemish and unleavened bread, unleavened cakes mixed with oil and unleavened wafers spread with oil.

You shall make them of fine wheat flour and you shall put them in one basket bring them in the basket, and bring the bull and the two rams. You shall bring Aaron and his sons to the door of the tent of meeting, and wash them with water. And you shall take the garments, and put on Aaron the coat, and the robe of the ephod, and the ephod, and the breastpiece, and belt him with the skillfully woven band of the ephod. And you shall set the turban on his head and put the holy crown upon the turban. And you shall take the anointing oil and pour it on his head and anoint him. Then you shall bring his sons and put coats on them. And you shall belt them with sashes and bind caps on them. And the priesthood shall be theirs by a perpetual statute.

Thus you shall ordain Aaron and his sons. Then you shall bring the bull before the tent of meeting. Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands upon the head of the bull, and you shall kill the bull before the Lord at the door of the tent of meeting, and shall take part of the blood of the bull and put it on the horns of the altar with your finger, and the rest of the blood you shall pour out at the base of the altar. And you shall take all the fat that covers the entrails and the appendage of the liver and the rest of the blood you shall pour out at the base of the altar. And you shall

take all the fat that covers the entrails, and the appendage of the liver, and the two kidneys with the fat that is on them, and burn them upon the altar. But the flesh of the bull, and its skin, and its dung you shall burn with fire outside the camp. It is a sin offering. Then you shall take one of the rams, and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands upon the head of the ram, and you shall slaughter the ram, and shall take its blood and throw it against the altar round about. Then you shall cut the ram into pieces, and wash its entrails and its legs, and put them with its pieces and its head, and burn the whole ram upon the altar. It is a burnt offering to the Lord. It is a pleasing odor, an offering by fire to the Lord. It is a pleasing order, an offering by fire to the Lord. You shall take the other ram, and Aaron and his sons shall lay their hands upon the head of the ram, and you shall kill the ram

and take part of its blood and put it on the tip of the right ear of Aaron and upon the tips of the right ears of his sons and upon the thumbs of their right hands and upon the great toes of their right feet and throw the rest of the blood against the altar round about. Then you shall take part of the blood that is on the altar and of the anointing oil and sprinkle it upon Aaron and his garments and upon his sons and his sons' garments with him. And he and his garments shall be holy

and his sons and his sons' garments with them. You shall also take the fat of the ram and the fat tail and the fat that covers the entrails, and the appendage of the liver, and the two kidneys with the fat that is on them, and the right thigh, for it is a ram of ordination, and one loaf of bread, and one cake of bread with oil, and one wafer out of the basket of unleavened bread that is before the Lord. And you shall put all these in the hands of Aaron and in the hands of his sons and wave them for a wave offering before the Lord. And you shall take them from their hands

and burn them on the altar in addition to the burnt offering as a pleasing odor before the Lord. It is an offering by fire to the Lord. And you shall take the breast of the ram of Aaron's ordination and wave it for a wave offering before the Lord, and it shall be your portion. And you shall consecrate the breast of the wave offering and the thigh of the priest's portion, which is waved and which is offered from the ram of ordination, since it is for Aaron and for his sons. It shall be for Aaron and his sons as a perpetual debt from the sons of Israel, for it is the priest's portion to be offered by the sons of Israel from their peace offerings. It is their offering to the Lord. The holy garments of Aaron shall be for his sons after him to be anointed in them and ordained in them. The son who is priest in his place shall wear them seven days when he comes into the tent of meeting to minister in the

holy place. You shall take the ram of ordination and boil its flesh in a holy place. And Aaron and his sons shall eat the flesh of the ram and the bread that is in the basket at the door of the tent of meeting. They shall eat those things with which atonement was made to ordain and consecrate them. But an outsider shall not eat of them because they are holy. And if any of the flesh for the ordination or of the bread remain Verse 2. And every day you shall offer a bull as a sin offering for atonement. Also you shall offer a sin offering for the altar when you make atonement for it and shall anoint it to consecrate it. Seven days you shall make atonement for the altar and consecrate it, and the altar shall be most holy. Whatever touches the altar shall become holy.

The Daily Offerings Now this is what you shall offer upon the altar. Two lambs a year old, day by day, continually. One lamb you shall offer in the morning, and the other lamb you shall offer in the evening. And with the first lamb a tenth measure of fine flour mingled with a fourth of a hin of beaten oil, and a fourth of a hin of wine for a libation. And the other lamb you shall offer in the evening, and shall offer with it a cereal offering and its libation, as in the morning, for a pleasing odor, an offering by fire to the Lord. It shall be a continual burnt offering throughout your generations at the door of the tent of meeting before the Lord, where I will meet with you,

to speak there to you. There I will meet with the sons of Israel, and it shall be sanctified by my glory. I will consecrate the tent of meeting and the altar, Aaron also and his sons I will consecrate, to serve me as priests. And I will dwell among the sons of Israel, and I will be their God. And they shall know that I am the Lord their God, who brought them forth out of the land of Egypt, that I might dwell among them. I am the Lord their God. The book of Leviticus chapter 21.

The holiness of priests. And the Lord said to Moses, Speak to the priests, to the sons of Aaron, and say to them that none of them shall defile himself for the dead among his people, except for his nearest kin, his mother, his father, his son, his daughter, his brother, or his virgin sister, who is near to him because she has had no husband. For her he may defile himself. He shall not defile himself as a husband among his people, and so profane himself. They shall not make tonsures upon their heads, nor shave off the edges of their beards, nor

make any cuttings in their flesh. They shall be holy to their God, and not profane the name of their God. For they offer the offerings by fire to the Lord, the bread of their God. Therefore they shall be holy. They shall not marry a harlot or a woman who has been defiled, neither shall they marry a woman divorced from her husband, for the priest is holy to his God. You shall consecrate him, for he offers the bread of your God. He shall be holy to you, for I, the Lord, who sanctify you, am holy. And the daughter of any priest, if she profanes herself by playing the harlot, profanes her father, she shall be burned

with fire. The priest who is chief among his brethren, among whose head the anointing oil is poured, and who has been consecrated to wear the garments, shall not let the hair of his head hang loose, nor tear his clothes. He shall not go into any dead body, nor defile himself, even for his father or for his mother. Neither shall he go out of the sanctuary, nor profane the sanctuary of his God, for the consecration of the anointing oil of his God is upon him. I am the Lord. And he shall take a wife in her virginity, a widow or one divorced, or a woman who has been defiled, or a harlot, these he shall not marry. But he shall take to wife a virgin of his own people,

that he may not profane his children among his people, for I am the Lord who sanctify him. And the Lord said to Moses, Say to Aaron, None of your descendants throughout their generations who has had a blemish may approach to offer the bread of his God. For no one who has a blemish shall draw near, a man blind or lame, or one who has had a mutilated face or a limb too long, or a man who has an injured foot or an injured hand, or a hunchback or a dwarf, or a man with a defect in his sight or an itching disease, or scabs or crushed testicles. No man of his descendants, of Aaron the priest, who has a blemish, shall come near to offer the Lord's offerings by fire, since he has a blemish. He shall not come near to offer the bread of his God.

He may eat the bread of his God, both of the most holy and of the holy things, but he shall not come near the veil or approach the altar, because he has a blemish, that he may not profane my sanctuaries, for I am the Lord who sanctify them. So Moses spoke to Aaron, and to his sons, and to all the sons of Israel. Psalm 119, verses 121-176 I have done what is right and just. Do not leave me to my oppressors. Be surety for your servant for good. Let not the godless oppress me. My eyes fail with watching for your salvation and for the fulfillment of your righteous promise. Deal with your servant according to your steadfast love and teach me your statutes. I am your servant. Give me

understanding that I may know your testimonies. It is time for the Lord to act, for your law has been broken. Therefore, I love your commandments above gold, above fine gold. Therefore, I direct my steps by all your precepts. I hate every false way. Your testimonies are wonderful. Therefore, my soul keeps them. The unfolding of your words gives light. It imparts understanding to the simple. With open mouth, I pant because I long for your commandments. Turn to me and be gracious to me. As you always do toward those who love your name. Keep steady my steps according to your promise, and let no iniquity get dominion over me. Redeem me from man's oppression, that I may keep your precepts.

Make your face shine upon your servant, and teach me your statutes. My eyes shed streams of tears, because men do not keep your law. You are righteous, O Lord, and right are your judgments. You have appointed your testimonies in righteousness and in all faithfulness. My zeal consumes me because my foes forget your words. Your promise is well tried and your servant loves it. I am small and despised, yet I do not forget your precepts. Your righteousness is righteous forever, and your law is true. Trouble and anguish have come upon me, but your commandments are my delight. Your testimonies are righteous forever.

Give me understanding that I may live. With my whole heart I cry, answer me, O Lord. I will keep your statutes. I cry to you, save me, that I may observe your testimonies. Arise before dawn and cry for help, I hope in your words. My eyes are awake before the watches of the night, that I may meditate upon your promise. Hear my voice in your steadfast love. O Lord, in your justice preserve my life.

They draw near who persecute me with evil purpose. They are far from your law, but you are near, O Lord, and your commandments are all true. Long have I known from your testimonies that you have founded them forever. Look on my affliction and deliver me, for I do not forget your law. Plead my cause and redeem me. Give me life according to your promise. Salvation is far from the wicked, for they do not seek your statutes. Great is your mercy, O Lord. Give me life according to your justice. Many are my persecutors and my adversaries, but I do not swerve from your testimonies. I look at the faithless with disgust, because they do not keep your commands. Consider how I love your precepts. Preserve my life according to your steadfast love. The sum of your word is truth, and every one of your righteous ordinances endures forever.

Princes persecute me without cause, but my heart stands in awe of your words. I rejoice at your word like one who finds great spoil. I hate and abhor falsehood, but I love your law. Seven times a day I praise you for your righteous ordinances. Great peace have those who love your law. Nothing can make them stumble. I hope for your salvation, O Lord, and I do your commandments.

My soul keeps your testimonies. I love them exceedingly. I keep your precepts and testimonies, for all my ways are before you. Let my cry come before you, O Lord. Give me understanding according to your word. Let my supplication come before you. Deliver me according to your word.

My lips will pour forth praise that you teach me your statutes. My tongue will sing of your word, for all your commandments are right. Let your hand be ready to help me, for I have chosen your precepts. I long for your salvation commandments are right. Let your hand be ready to help me, for I have chosen your precepts. I long for your salvation, O Lord, and your law is my delight. Let my soul live that I may praise you, and let your ordinances help me.

I have gone astray, like a lost sheep. Seek your servant, for I do not forget your commandments. Father in heaven, we give you praise and thank you. Thank you so much for your word. Thank you so much for the gift of the priesthood that you've given to not only the people of Israel, but the gift of the new and eternal priest, the priesthood of Jesus Christ, your son,

that you've given to your people. That you've given to the church as it exists now and as it exists at its founding when your son offered himself for us at the last supper and said, take this, all of you, and eat of it. This is my body. Take this, all of you, and drink from it. This is the cup of my blood, the cup of the new and eternal covenant. Lord Jesus Christ, we thank you so much. Thank you that you are the great high priest, and we thank you that you have chosen men among us to extend that work, the mission, to share in the identity, and to share in the ministry of your priesthood help us all to draw near to you as those who are baptized are also made kingdom priests by our baptism help us all to lift up our voices lift up our hearts and lift up the great sacrifice to the father in your name by the power of the holy spirit make this prayer in

the mighty name your mighty name lord jesus christ name of the father Spirit. Make this prayer in the mighty name, your mighty name, Lord Jesus Christ, name of the Father, Son, Holy Spirit. Amen. So there's so much to say about these first two readings from Exodus and from Leviticus. But one of the things that needs to be iterated and reiterated is the fact that not only are in the new covenant, not only are the new covenant priests called to belong to the Lord and called to lead the people in worship, to be those intercessors, right? Who go from the people to the Lord and go from God back to the people as prophets and priests, but that they're called to be holy, that they're called to live a certain way, and that so many of us priests fail to live that way, in small ways and in great ways, right? We know of the big ones, we know the big failings and big massive sins and heinous actions of many priests, but also just the

small ways that every Christian fails to honor the Lord. Every Christian fails to live up to the call to be holy as the Lord God is holy. And so today, on this day, I just invite you on day 45 to let this be a day where we just dedicate our prayer for our priests, right? To say, okay, Lord, not just that we get more priests, not just we have enough to serve the people of God whom God loves so much, but also that these priests, including myself, may be actually holy, may truly live up to the call of Jesus Christ because I know my brokenness and I know how much I stand in need of God's mercy every single day in small ways and in incredibly large ways that's like, oh my gosh, Lord, I could not

stand for another day without your help, without your mercy, without, gosh, the sacrament of confession that I need so often that I just say, God, help me to be this kind of priest that you describe here, a priest who actually is a man after your own heart, a man who actually chooses you. And that Psalm 119, as we got to the end here, where it says the last lines here, let my soul live and I may praise you and let your ordinances help me because I have gone astray like a lost sheep. This is the person, the psalmist, right? Who wrote and said like, Lord, I love your law and I love your commandments and I hate the ways of falsehood and all these things, which is true. But he also says, but I have gone astray like a lost sheep. Seek your

servant. And I love that. That's the prayer of all of us, right? Lord, I have gone astray. So seek me out. Lord, I have gone astray like a sheep, like a lost sheep. I've run away from you. So seek me out. Not just welcome me back, but seek me out. Not just let me come back in the door, but Lord God, race after me, search for me, find me and bring me home. Not just let me come back in the door, but Lord, God, race after me. Search for me. Find me and bring me home. And that is my prayer for myself. Golly, you guys.

But it's also my prayer for everyone who's a part of this community, this Bible in your community, that we have gone astray so many ways. And so often for a loss, we don't know the way home. Even if we kind of technically do know the way, it's like, but Lord, I would not choose that way unless you seek me out.

So just like the psalmist with all 176 verses of Psalm 119, that last verse, Lord, I have gone astray like a sheep, like a lost sheep. So seek me out. Let that be our prayer today. Both two things, right? Pray for our priests. Lord God, help them, make them holy,

but also for ourselves. Lord God, I have gone astray like a lost sheep. Seek me out, bring me home. The Lord God, he loves you already. The Lord loves you already. And he knows your name. He calls your name. He seeks you out.

Today, once again, let him bring you home. Let's keep praying for each other. My name's Father Mike. I cannot wait to see you again tomorrow. God bless.