Quintessence of Religious Doctrines - Malankarasyriac Voice

36On the Holy Orders 71 72Quintessence of Religious DoctrinesCommentThe priests must celebrate the Eucharist or participate in itscelebration on all days fixed by the Canons of the Church,provided, however, that the priests need not do so if theyare physically indisposed or otherwise unable on bonafidereasons. In fact, celebrating the Eucharist, which is thefundamental sacrament of the Ecclesia, is the basic functionof the priest. The assembly of the believers or the faithfulreceives the grace of the Eucharist through its celebrationby the priests. So the Ecclesia looks to the priests as thegenuine representatives of God.4. One cannot by his own volition or choice attain this grace ofpriesthood.Ref. Heb. 5:4. No one chooses for himself the honour ofbeing a high priest. It is only by God’s calling that, aman is made a high priest just as Aaron was. (G.N.B.)CommentNo one can become a priest by his desire or option; nor canhe become so by somebody else’s persuasion. For, it is nota profession. It is rather a vocation or calling by the grace ofGod. A priest is called but not made.5. It comes to be vested only on those chosen by the will of God,and who receive due consecration from the high priest, who isdeemed to have been ordained by Jesus himself through thechannel of apostolic succession.Ref. (a) 1Tim. 4:14. Use the gift you were given when theprophets spoke and the group of Church leadersblessed you by placing their hands on you. (L.B.)(b) Acts 12:23. At once an angel from the Lord struckhim down because he took the honour that belongedto God. (L.B.)(c) Jn. 20:22, 23. Then he breathed on them and said,“Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’ssins, they will be forgiven but if you don’t forgivetheir sins they will not be forgiven”. (L.B.)(d) 2 Tim. 2:2 ... Now I want you to tell the same thingsto followers who can be trusted to tell others. (L.B.)(e) Tit. 1:5. I left you in Crete to do what had been leftundone and to appoint leaders for the churches ineach town. (L.B.)CommentMotivated by the divine calling, one must submit himselfbefore the High Priest to get ordained, in the Apostolicmanner. The usage of ‘himself’ is because the S.O.C. doesnot permit the women folk to receive the Holy Orders atpresent. Unless the High Priest physically lays on His handsover the candidate the latter cannot be deemed to have beenconsecrated to the Holy Orders. The S.O.C. insists on theunbroken and effective succession of Her ministers. For, Shebelieves in the principle of Apostolic succession starting fromJesus and which is passed on through the Apostolic Collegeheaded by St. Peter, as a characteristic feature of theEcclesia. In fact the Apostolicity is one of the four marks ornotae of the Church. Apostolic succession is not only aspiritual principle but a hierarchical concept also. The wholeEcclesial or Church History can be summarily put as anattempt to preserve Apostolic succession in tact and withoutdefect or blemish.6. No one can preach publicly or minister in the Church withouthaving valid apostolic succession and sanction from properauthorities. The supreme sacerdotal authority of the Church vestswith His Holiness Ignatius, the Patriarch of the See of Antioch.Ref. Jer. 23:21, 22. I have not sent these prophets, yetthey ran: I have not spoken to them yet theyprophesied. But if they had stood in my counsel,and had caused my people to hear my words thenthey should have turned them from their evil wayand from the evil of their doings. (K.J.V.)CommentValid Apostolic succession and sanction from the proper