Christ, the Priest

Sacred Heart, in St Francis De Sales Cathedral, Baker City, OR, crafted in 1923

 I love stained-glass windows, and am honored to be serving in a Cathedral that boasts of some of the most beautiful windows, crafted respectively in 1923 and again in 1958, with two smaller ones in 1965, as well as 4 recent ones in our day-chapel, crafted in 2005. The above photo shows the Sacred Heart in our Cathedral, placed in the apse, and crafted by the Povey Brothers of Portland in 1923. 

In my collection of photos of stained-glass windows I share today one that is unique, found in an unidentified English church. It shows Jesus as Priest, dressed in a chasuble with the table and chalice in front of him, holding the Sacred Host, representing His own Body and Blood. Even though we do not see Jesus acting as a priest in his lifetime, because the Priesthood was instituted just a few hours before he died for us during the Last Supper, still his death on the cross was a sacrifice. From there He gave us his Body, being given to Mary and her new son John the apostle, and He also shed his Blood, every drop of Blood he had left in his mutilated body. And in every Mass we celebrate Christ is alive and well, through the readings, through the breaking of Bread, and through our reception of His Body and Blood in the Eucharist. Jesus is truly the model of every priest.