"All Spiritual and Mature Christians . . . Share in the Office of the Priesthood"

November 10 is the Feast of Leo the Great, Bishop of Rome (Pope) from 440-461. He is best remembered for his letter to Bishop Flavian of Constantinople in which he affirmed that Jesus Christ has two natures in one Person. Written in 449, it was read at the Council of Chalcedon two years later and affirmed as the official doctrine of the Church.

Perhaps even more interesting, from a contemporary ecumenical perspective (and in light of the fact that November 10 is also the birthday of the Protestant Reformer Martin Luther), is a sermon in which he makes the following observations concerning unity in Christ and the office of the priesthood.

Although the universal Church of God is constituted of distinct orders of members, still, in spite of the many parts of its holy body, the Church subsists as an integral whole, just as the Apostle says: we are all one in Christ. . .

For all, regenerated in Christ, are made kings by the sign of the cross; they are consecrated priests by the oil of the Holy Spirit, so that beyond the special service of our ministry as priests, all spiritual and mature Christians know that they are a royal race and are sharers in the office of the priesthood. For what is more king-like that to find yourself ruler over your body after having surrendered your soul to God? And what is more priestly than to promise the Lord a pure conscience and to offer him in love unblemished victims on the altar of one's heart?

O Lord our God, grant that your Church, following the teaching Of your
servant Leo of Rome, may hold fast the great mystery of our redemption, and
adore the one Christ, true God and true Man, neither divided from our human nature nor separate from your divine Being; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.