Thirty-first Sunday in Ordinary Time Year B Second Reading

A reading from the letter to the Hebrews.

The reason the old covenant needed many priests to carry out the sacrificial work is because they would die and thus be prevented from continuing their work.  But Christ lives on forever, and Christ’s work as priest does not pass on to someone else.  And so Christ is able, now and always, to save those who come to God through Christ, because Christ lives forever to plead to God for them.

God ordained that we should have such a high priest-one who is holy, who has no fault or sin, who has been set apart from sinners and raised above the heavens.  Jesus is not like other high priests and does not need to offer sacrifices every day, first for personal sins and then for the sins of the people.  Christ’s self-sacrifice was offered once and for all.  For the Law appoints as high priests people who are weak; but God’s sworn promise, which came later than the Law, appoints the Only Begotten, who has been made perfect forever.

The Word of God recorded in the letter to the Hebrews.