SHE is Priest, Prophet, and King
Christ shows us what it means to fully live in the image and likeness of God—His life, death, and resurrection fully reveals man to Himself. (LG 22) Through His three offices of Priest, Prophet, and King Christ shows us how to live fully human.
This Sunday, Jesus proclaims, “I am the way and the truth and the life.” Christ’s Messianic mission of Priest, Prophet, and King shows us how to live the Christian life. As members of His Body, we are called to discipleship by sharing in these 3 offices of Christ.
Women are called to live out the role of priest, prophet, and king through their uniquely feminine gifts. Our Blessed Mother shows us the dignity of living out the offices of priest, prophet, and king as a woman.
Priest: Women have the dignity of participating in Christ's priestly office in a way that men cannot—For example, the gift of maternity allows a woman to make space within herself to nourish another. All that is endured through her spiritual and/or physical motherhood echoes Christ's words, This is my body, given up for you. (Lk 22:19)
Through her fiat, Mary offers her entire being—body and soul — to the work of the Cross, proclaiming, let it be done to me according to your word. (Lk 1:38) While her Son’s flesh was torn, her heart was pierced. Her sacrifice for the Cross was perfect—free, total, faithful, and fruitful.
Prophet: Through the Beatitudes, Jesus instructs the faithful to proclaim the Gospel with their very lives beginning each command with, Blessed are they who…." Inherent to her feminine genius, when a woman lives her gifts of maternity, receptivity, sensitivity, and generosity, she proclaims the heart of the Gospel to all she encounters in a uniquely feminine way.
God saw it fit to first share the Word made flesh with the created world through the feminine genius. Mary's feminine gifts evangelize the world and serve as the model of a life lived in perfect beatitude. Blessed is she among women…
King: Through the grace of participating in His kingly office, we find mastery over ourselves—our desires and passions—and commit our lives to serve God's will.
At the Annunciation, the Angel Gabriel proclaimed, Hail Mary, full of grace… Our Blessed Mother, the Queen of Heaven, shows us a life lived in perfect virtue and perfect service to God’s will. She teaches us that to reign means to serve.
This week read through SHE is Priest, Prophet, and King with your family.
Don’t forget about our Teen LIFE Focus Guide for your older kids.
