Good Friday and Easter are approaching towards the end of the lent and therefore it is time for all believers to meditate and internalize the meaning and purpose of the crucifixion and sacrifice of our Lord on Calvary. First of all let us remember and realize that without the basic truth and recognition of resurrection, crucifixion, suffering and death of Christ are meaningless tragic events that had happened about two thousand years. According to the many prophesies by our Lord, and prophets of the Old Testament, our savior rose on the third day after the burial of our Lord’s body and then appeared to several of his followers in small and large groups at different times. He even appeared to Saul who prosecuted and persecuted early Christians. If our Lord had not resurrected, our faith is empty and meaningless (1 Corinthians 15:18).

Every Christian believer has to believe and accept the factual truth that our Lord Jesus is the everlasting High Priest much more than Melchizedek or any priest appointed according to Moses’ Laws. This priest came from Heaven who is the Son of God incarnated as the Son of Man from Virgin Mary, mother of our Lord Jesus. He is also the everlasting sacrificial Lamb of God who took away everyman’s sins of the past, present and future and was sacrificed on the Roman Cross of Calvary in the act of Crucifixion. He suffered, shed blood for all the sins and mistakes of the entire world and paid an eternal price for every sinner ever born on this planet of Earth. The power and bondage of sin, Satan and death were broken and every believer is promised eternal life and citizenship of the Kingdom of God.

This is the one and the only sacrifice accepted by God the Almighty. Jesus is the High Priest forever who sits at the right of the throne of heavenly Father pleading for all of us. He is the only mediator we have. His sacrifice is enough to forgive all our sins. His priesthood is never transferred to anybody and His sacrifice cannot be duplicated and repeated, nor be imitated. There is no need for any other sacrifice. Old testament sacrifices starting from Abel’s and those required by Moses’ laws were only shadows of the everlasting Sacrifice of our Lord on Calvary (Hebrew 7,8 & 9). Even the offerings and sacrifices that may be found in the other religions are shadows of the heavenly and ultimate sacrifice done by the God-Man on Calvary.

All believers are declared as the King’s holy priests to present ourselves as sweet smelling and living sacrifices (Roman 12:1, 1 Peter 2:5,2:9) to declare the wonderful acts of God, to praise the Lord and to do good works of charity that will please and glorify the living God (Hebrew 13:15-16). Of course, through the Eucharistic communion of bread and wine, we the believers can thankfully remember and celebrate our Savior’s eternal sacrifice on the cross. That is a gift given by the Master to all His faithful followers. Let us celebrate this Easter with thanks and with praise. Amen.