Day 226: The Supreme Gift of Marriage

Christ chose to be born and grow up in the bosom of the holy family of Joseph and Mary. The Church is nothing other than "the family of God." From the beginning, the core of the Church was often constituted by those who had become believers "together with all [their] household." When they were converted, they desired that "their whole household" should also be saved. These families who became believers were islands of Christian life in an unbelieving world. CCC 1655

In today's reading, the Catechism discusses the "supreme gift of marriage": families. From these, society is made, and the Church is sustained to carry out the Great Commission (Matt 28:19-20).

The Catechism Compendium summarizes this section:

The Christian family is called the domestic church because the family manifests and lives out the communal and familial nature of the Church as the family of God. Each family member, in accord with their own role, exercises the baptismal priesthood and contributes toward making the family a community of grace and of prayer, a school of human and Christian virtue, and the place where the faith is first proclaimed to children. (#350)

Not all couples can have children, of course. It may be that God has chosen to bless them through birth much later and with greater difficulty than they wish, or to adopt a parentless child, or even to remain without children. Being open to life is what couples are called to in this, as hard as that can be at times. Another gift of marriage is the bond between couples, which helps them in this life and hopefully in achieving Paradise in the end.

The Catechism Companion, Vol II comments on this:

The Church supports the many spouses who are open to life but have not been able to have children biologically. Those couples can still embrace a meaningful marriage that is filled with love, selflessness, and care for others. (p. 216) 

Day 225: Total Fidelity in Marriage

It can seem difficult, even impossible, to bind oneself for life to another human being. This makes it all the more important to proclaim the Good News that God loves us with a definitive and irrevocable love, that married couples share in this love, that it supports and sustains them, and that by their own faithfulness they can be witnesses to God's faithful love. Spouses who, with God's grace, give this witness, often in very difficult conditions, deserve the gratitude and support of the ecclesial community. CCC 1648

In today's reading, the Catechism discusses the necessity of complete fidelity within marriage. In other words, no persons "on the side" but a total commitment emotionally and in conjugal relations to one's spouse. That's for both husbands and wives.

The Catechism Compendium summarizes Church teaching on what sinful behavior can mar the fidelity owed to one's spouse:

Adultery and polygamy are opposed to the sacrament of matrimony because they contradict the equal dignity of man and woman and the unity and exclusivity of married love. Other sins include the deliberate refusal of one’s procreative potential which deprives conjugal love of the gift of children and divorce which goes against the indissolubility of marriage. (#347)

There are unfortunately times when a situation arises that necessitate spouse separating, but if the marriage is valid it still cannot be undone. As the Catechism Companion, Vol II notes:

In our broken world, in a regime of sin, circumstances such as violence can make it so that spouses cannot stay in the same home with each other. Then it is acceptable in the eyes of the Church for the husband and wife to move away from each other, but they remain a married couple. Each person is called to continually live out his or her vocation, so even if a husband and wife are no longer living in the same place, they are not free to pursue another relationship or marriage with someone else. (p. 214) 

Unfortunately, some get divorced and civilly remarry others even though their first marriage is valid. Because this is seen as contravening God's law, such persons are not allowed to partake of the Eucharist, "exercise certain ecclesial responsibilities," or receive Absolution through the Sacrament of Penance "until repented for having violated the sign of the covenant and of fidelity to Christ, and who are committed to living in complete continence" (CCC 1650). 

Day 224: The Grace of the Sacrament of Marriage

"The unity of marriage, distinctly recognized by our Lord, is made clear in the equal personal dignity which must be accorded to man and wife in mutual and unreserved affection." Polygamy is contrary to conjugal love, which is undivided and exclusive. CCC 1645

In today's reading, the Catechism discusses the effects of the Sacrament of Matrimony. One man and one woman, or in Greek, "one flesh," are joined together in Christ with a bond between them that can never be broken (Matt 19:6). 

The Catechism Compendium summarizes this section:

The sacrament of Matrimony establishes a perpetual and exclusive bond between the spouses. God himself seals the consent of the spouses. Therefore, a marriage which is ratified and consummated between baptized persons can never be dissolved. Furthermore, this sacrament bestows upon the spouses the grace necessary to attain holiness in their married life and to accept responsibly the gift of children and provide for their education. (#346)

It has been said that marriage and families are the fundamental building blocks of human society, the means by which our faith, cultures, traditions, etc. are passed on to the next generation. They are also the most normal means for procreation, that is, actually having a next generation to follow after us. With all this in mind, God raised this to a sacrament. A means by which couples receive Christ's grace and hope in the glory of Paradise.

Finally, Dr. Brant Pitre has a good, short video on Jesus, Divorce, and Remarriage:

Day 223: Differences in Religion in Marriage

In many countries, the situation of a mixed marriage (marriage between a Catholic and a baptized non-Catholic) often arises. It requires particular attention on the part of couples and their pastors. A case of marriage with disparity of cult (between a Catholic and a nonbaptized person) requires even greater circumspection. CCC 1633

In today's reading, the Catechism discusses the growing phenomenon of mixed marriages. That is, when one spouse is Catholic while the other is not. This didn't occur as much in the past as it does nowadays.

The Catechism Compendium summarizes Catholic teaching on this:

A mixed marriage (between a Catholic and a baptized non-Catholic) needs, for liceity, the permission of ecclesiastical authority. In a case of disparity of cult (between a Catholic and a non-baptized person), a dispensation is required for validity. In both cases, it is essential that the spouses do not exclude the acceptance of the essential ends and properties of marriage. It is also necessary for the Catholic party to accept the obligation, of which the non-Catholic party has been advised, to persevere in the faith and to assure the baptism and Catholic education of their children. (#345)

In some cases, such mixed marriages can lead to the conversion of the non-Catholic spouse (CCC 1637), while in others, it does not. Sadly, it can also lead to religious indifference on the part of both spouses. This was the case with my own parents, and why I highly recommend that if no conversion is sought by the non-Catholic spouse, such marriages be avoided. There will be children involved at some point, and they will be impacted. 

The Catechism Companion, Vol II, comments on this:

When a husband or a wife is not pursuing the Lord with his or her whole heart, mind, soul, and strength, it can lead the other spouse to treat religion as unimportant. (p. 210)

Really, this can also happen to both spouses.

I love and cherish my parents dearly. Yet, my father is a fallen-away Southern Baptist, and my mother is a fallen-away Catholic, which led to neither practicing the faiths they held at the time of their marriage. They received the dispensation for the marriage from Church authorities, and my siblings and I were baptized, but we never went to church as a family while growing up. Not once. This left my siblings and me to find God on our own. Even all these years later, I feel like I have "gaps" in my religious knowledge and practice, after having arrived where I'm at, through God's grace, essentially on my own. They may have felt that they didn't "burden" me with the doctrines of one faith over another, which I can understand to an extent, but I believe it was a worse situation. It caused me years of confusion and floating from one group to another, including indifferentism, before finally coming to the Church. I've felt like I'm playing "catch-up" ever since.

Day 222: Matrimonial Consent

The consent consists in a "human act by which the partners mutually give themselves to each other": "I take you to be my wife" - "I take you to be my husband."126 This consent that binds the spouses to each other finds its fulfillment in the two "becoming one flesh." CCC 1627

Today's reading from the Catechism is about that crucial element necessary for a valid marriage: the free consent of both man and woman to be wed. The Catechism Compendium summarizes ably the Church's teaching on this:

Matrimonial consent is given when a man and a woman manifest the will to give themselves to each other irrevocably in order to live a covenant of faithful and fruitful love. Since consent constitutes Matrimony, it is indispensable and irreplaceable. For a valid marriage, the consent must have as its object true Matrimony, and be a human act which is conscious and free and not determined by duress or coercion. (#344)

While the Catechism itself doesn't address it in this section, the Catechism Companion, Vol II, does. It states that "marriage is impossible between two people of the same sex" (p. 208). I presume this will be discussed in more detail within the Catechism later on, but in this text it notes that "a couple must be able to enter into the sexual embrace," which same-sex couples are unable to do with each other. Sure, they can have a form of "sexual embrace," but presumably the Catechism will speak later about how it is not a natural one or one able to procreate. More on that later.

The only other item the Catechism really addresses in this section is annulment. If reasons can be shown why a valid marriage wasn't contracted, it may be annulled, with the couple able to freely marry later on. However, if it cannot be shown, then the marriage remains valid and the couple are still bound to one another (CCC 1628-29).

Finally, the Catechism Companion recommends this video with Fr. Mike Schmitz on marriage:

Day 221: The Celebration of Marriage

In the Latin Church, it is ordinarily understood that the spouses, as ministers of Christ's grace, mutually confer upon each other the sacrament of Matrimony by expressing their consent before the Church. In the Eastern liturgies, the minister of this sacrament (which is called "Crowning") is the priest or bishop who, after receiving the mutual consent of the spouses, successively crowns the bridegroom and the bride as a sign of the marriage covenant. CCC 1623

In today's reading, the Catechism discusses the celebration of the Sacrament of Marriage. Couples normally "mutually confer upon each other the sacrament of Matrimony by expressing their consent before the Church," as quoted above. It is "appropriate" for the couple "prepare themselves... by receiving the sacrament of penance," (CCC 1622) which is fitting since "the celebration of marriage between two Catholic faithful normally takes place during Holy Mass" (CCC 1621). Needless to say, the usual and most natural place for the sacrament to be celebrated is within a church, so publicly in the presence of a priest and witnesses. 

I do like the Catechism Companion, Vol II commentary on this:

There is something remarkable about the fact that once a couple is married, everything they do will be as a married couple. Their lives embody the sacrament. And the first thing they will do together once married, during the wedding Mass, is pray. "The Holy Spirit is the seal of their covenant, the ever available source of their love and the strength to renew their fidelity" (CCC 1624). (p. 206)

I also like how the Catechism draws on Matthew 19:12 about those who willingly give up matrimony in order "to follow the Lamb wherever he goes" (CCC 1618). That was a nice touch to add this here. The Catechism Companion has some good commentary on this:

These consecrated virgins are living witnesses, in a hedonistic world, of joy and freedom without having a sexual relationship by giving themselves in love and service to the Lord. (p. 206)

Finally, the Catechism does a good job tying both marriage and virginity together in Christ with this quote from St. John Chrysostom:

Whoever denigrates marriage also diminishes the glory of virginity. Whoever praises it makes virginity more admirable and resplendent. What appears good only in comparison with evil would not be truly good. The most excellent good is something even better than what is admitted to be good. CCC 1620

Day 220: Marriage in the New Covenant

Seeing God's covenant with Israel in the image of exclusive and faithful married love, the prophets prepared the Chosen People's conscience for a deepened understanding of the unity and indissolubility of marriage. The books of Ruth and Tobit bear moving witness to an elevated sense of marriage and to the fidelity and tenderness of spouses. Tradition has always seen in the Song of Solomon a unique expression of human love, a pure reflection of God's love - a love "strong as death" that "many waters cannot quench." CCC 1611

Today's reading from the Catechism is about marriage in the New Covenant, that is, marriage as Christ taught us. We see in the Gospel of Matthew Jesus teaching that marriage joins together man and woman, and is indissoluble because "what God has joined together, let no man put asunder" (Matt 19:4-6). When challenged that Moses permitted divorce, Christ explained that their "hardness of heart" is why and that "from the beginning it was not so" (Matt 19:7-9). In this, Christ restored the original teaching on marriage.

The Catechism Compendium notes:

Christ not only restored the original order of matrimony but raised it to the dignity of a sacrament, giving spouses a special grace to live out their marriage as a symbol of Christ’s love for his bride, the Church: “Husbands, love your wives as Christ loves the Church” (Ephesians 5:25). (#341)

The Catechism Companion, Vol II has some good commentary on this:

Even in the brokenness of our hearts and relationships since the Fall, the hope is that we will still learn how to love. But in our broken world after original sin, love alway demands sacrifice... Jesus' teachings are not more of a load in their strictness than those of Moses. Instead, they help to renew the way man and woman were created to live, which sin distorted.  Jesus "himself gives the strength and grace to live marriage in the new dimension of the Reign of God," giving us not just new rules but rather new hearts (CCC 1615). Grace changes hearts, but we have to cooperate with that grace by carrying our crosses with Jesus. (p. 204)

Pictured here is the wedding feast at Cana, where Jesus miraculously changed water to wine. This miracle showed the importance of marriage, which Jesus made a sacrament (see CCC 1613). (p. 205)

Day 219: Marriage in God's Plan

"The matrimonial covenant, by which a man and a woman establish between themselves a partnership of the whole of life, is by its nature ordered toward the good of the spouses and the procreation and education of offspring; this covenant between baptized persons has been raised by Christ the Lord to the dignity of a sacrament." CCC 1601

In today's reading, the Catechism discusses the last sacrament: Marriage. Like Holy Orders, it is one of service to others; only this one is a union between man and woman joined in love, so "they are no longer two, but one flesh" (Matt 19:6). Scripture begins "with the creation of man and woman in the image and likeness of God [Gen 1:26-27] and concludes with a vision of 'the wedding-feast of the Lamb'" [Rev 19:7-9] (CCC 1602). Unfortunately, even that union for which "God himself is the author" (CCC 1603) has been impacted by sin. 

As the Catechism Compendium notes:

Because of original sin, which caused a rupture in the God-given communion between man and woman, the union of marriage is very often threatened by discord and infidelity. However, God in his infinite mercy gives to man and woman the grace to bring the union of their lives into accord with the original divine plan. (#339)

The Catechism Companion, Vol II has some good commentary on marriage:

The marriage covenant is an icon of the Trinity. Marriage also is made for the spouses' service of each other... The stable relationship between husband and wife provides the context for the education of offspring, that they can be raised in a stable environment...  Marriage is the fundamental building block of society, where healthy families perpetuate healthy cultures and the breakdown of family leads to cultural breakdown. (p. 202)

Finally, an Eastern Orthodox apologist has a good video short on marriage, echoing what the Catechism teaches in the beginning of this section:

Day 218: Summary of Holy Orders

The sacrament of Holy Orders is conferred by the laying on of hands followed by a solemn prayer of consecration asking God to grant the ordinand the graces of the Holy Spirit required for his ministry. Ordination imprints an indelible sacramental character. CCC 1597

Today's reading from the Catechism consists of an "In Brief" on what has already been covered on Holy Orders. As I have nothing further to add, I will keep today's posting likewise brief.

The Catechism Compendium summarizes the authority that the priestly ministry exercises:

Ordained priests in the exercise of their sacred ministry speak and act not on their own authority, nor even by mandate or delegation of the community, but rather in the Person of Christ the Head and in the name of the Church. Therefore, the ministerial priesthood differs essentially and not just in degree from the priesthood common to all the faithful for whose service Christ instituted it. (#336)

I also like this commentary from the Catechism Companion, Vol II: 

God can communicate directly to the people themselves, but he has called certain people to act uniquely as his ambassadors, offering sacrifice to the Lord on behalf of the people and bringing back to them God's grace. God calls ordinary men to be priests, just as he calls ordinary men and women to marriage. They have ordinary hearts that are incapable of loving perfectly, but broken people can be representatives of God. Every one of us is called to a vocation so that we might serve. In pouring our lives out, we have the opportunity to become more and more like Jesus. (p. 200)

Finally, Dr. John Bergsma has an interesting video that while not specifically on the Sacrament of Holy Orders, is related to the Catholic priesthood. I really enjoyed his excellent book Jesus and the Dead Sea Scrolls so this was particularly good to watch for me.

Day 217: The Effects of Holy Orders

This sacrament configures the recipient to Christ by a special grace of the Holy Spirit, so that he may serve as Christ's instrument for his Church. By ordination one is enabled to act as a representative of Christ, Head of the Church, in his triple office of priest, prophet, and king. CCC 1581

In today's reading, the Catechism discusses the effects of Holy Orders. It confers "an indelible spiritual character" like the Sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation do (CCC 1582). The Catechism Compendium summarizes this:

This sacrament yields a special outpouring of the Holy Spirit which configures the recipient to Christ in his triple office as Priest, Prophet, and King, according to the respective degrees of the sacrament. Ordination confers an indelible spiritual character and therefore cannot be repeated or conferred for a limited time. (#335)

The recipient of Holy Orders "receives a particular grace from the Holy Spirit oriented to serving the Church for Christ" (p. 198). Service to God, to the Church, and to their fellow man, especially those in dire need, those are the responsibilities of this sacrament recipients are called to. They are still men though, as subject to temptation and weakness as the rest of us are (Matt 26:41). We should keep that in mind lest we elevate priests beyond what is right, or fall into the error of the Donatists.

The Catechism Companion, Vol II notes:

We can never be worthy of any of the sacraments, so failing to live up to them perfectly is inevitable. It is essential to note that Jesus confers the grace of the sacraments through the priest, so a priest's flaws cannot alter what Jesus bestows... Holiness is dependent on our response to God's call with love. St. John Vianney's words, "the Priesthood is the love of the heart of Jesus," acknowledge that men called to be priests are also holy only to the extent of their love and how it can imitate Christ (CCC 1589). (p. 198)

Jesus' act of washing his disciples' feet is a potent reminder that Holy Orders is a sacrament of sacrifice and service. The priestly office requires constant turning to Christ (see CCC 1589). (p. 199)

Day 216: Who Receives Holy Orders

No one has a right to receive the sacrament of Holy Orders. Indeed, no one claims this office for himself; he is called to it by God. Anyone who thinks he recognizes the signs of God's call to the ordained ministry must humbly submit his desire to the authority of the Church, who has the responsibility and right to call someone to receive orders. Like every grace, this sacrament can be received only as an unmerited gift. CCC 1578

Today's reading from the Catechism is very short, just 4 small paragraphs on who can receive the Sacrament of Holy Orders. This sacrament is reserved for baptized men called by God. In the West, some want to allow women to be ordained, but such is an impossibility. 

As the Catechism Companion, Vol II notes:

Regardless of an individual bishop's opinion regarding the ordination of women being possible, the Church cannot allow it. Jesus himself instituted the sacraments, so it never comes down to how we would choose for any of them to be celebrated validly. For Holy Orders, "the Lord Jesus chose men" exclusively (CCC 1577)... It may seem unjust that women cannot be ordained, but the true injustice would be to go against what Jesus established. (p. 196)

In the Latin Church, there is also a calling for celibacy, which differs somewhat in the East. As the Catechism Compendium notes:

It is always necessary to be celibate for the episcopacy. For the priesthood in the Latin Church men who are practicing Catholics and celibate are chosen, men who intend to continue to live a celibate life “for the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 19:12). In the Eastern Churches marriage is not permitted after one has been ordained. Married men can be ordained to the permanent diaconate. (#334)

Finally, the Catechism Companion recommends this good video with Fr. Josh Johnson:

Day 215: Deacons and the Diaconate

Deacons share in Christ's mission and grace in a special way. The sacrament of Holy Orders marks them with an imprint (“character") which cannot be removed and which configures them to Christ, who made himself the "deacon" or servant of all. Among other tasks, it is the task of deacons to assist the bishop and priests in the celebration of the divine mysteries, above all the Eucharist, in the distribution of Holy Communion, in assisting at and blessing marriages, in the proclamation of the Gospel and preaching, in presiding over funerals, and in dedicating themselves to the various ministries of charity. CCC 1570

In today's reading, the Catechism discusses deacons and the diaconate. This is the last of the degrees of Holy Orders, which is becoming increasingly common in the Roman Rite. I personally would like to see even more deacons than we have now, and even a return of Subdeacons. The role of deacons in the Church stretch back to the days of the Apostles, with the first martyr for Christ being St. Stephen the Protomartyr (Acts 7:54-60). As quoted above, deacons provide a valuable service in many things and "assist the bishop and priests in the celebration of the divine mysteries, above all the Eucharist" and "in the distribution of Holy Communion". If we had more deacons perhaps we wouldn't see so much abuse in the use of extraordinary eucharistic ministers. That's a subject for another time though. 

The Catechism Compendium gives a summary of the effect of ordination to the diaconate:

The deacon, configured to Christ the servant of all, is ordained for service to the Church. He carries out this service under the authority of his proper bishop by the ministry of the Word, of divine worship, of pastoral care, and of charity. (#330)

The Catechism Companion, Vol II makes this note on the final part from today's reading: 

There are two elements to "the essential rite of the sacrament of Holy Orders": the laying on of hands by the bishop on the person being ordained and "the bishop's specific consecratory prayer asking God" to give the man the graces he needs to carry out his calling (CCC 1573). (p. 194) 

Finally, Dr. Brant Pitre has a good video on the diaconate:

Day 214: Priests and the Presbyterate

"All priests, who are constituted in the order of priesthood by the sacrament of Order, are bound together by an intimate sacramental brotherhood, but in a special way they form one priestly body in the diocese to which they are attached under their own bishop..." The unity of the presbyterium finds liturgical expression in the custom of the presbyters' imposing hands, after the bishop, during the rite of ordination. CCC 1568

In today's reading, the Catechism discusses priests and the presbyterate in the Church. The priest is the one with Holy Orders who will be the most common for the laity and everyone else to interact with. As "co-workers" with the bishops, and especially in their acting in persona Christi in the sacrifice of the Mass, they owe obedience to their local bishop and the Church and are called especially to imitate Christ with lives of holiness.

The Catechism Compendium gives a summary of the effect of ordination to the priesthood:

The anointing of the Spirit seals the priest with an indelible, spiritual character that configures him to Christ the priest and enables him to act in the name of Christ the Head. As a co-worker of the order of bishops, he is consecrated to preach the Gospel, to celebrate divine worship, especially the Eucharist from which his ministry draws its strength, and to be a shepherd of the faithful. (#328)

The Catechism Companion, Vol II has some good commentary on the priesthood:

Just as with the episcopacy, the presbyterate is called to participate in the trifold office of making holy, instructing, and governing - in imitation of Christ's trifold office of priest, prophet, and King. Priests are fellow workers with the bishops, forming a unique kind of brotherhood to serve the Church for the glory of God the Father. (p. 192)

Roman Rite Catholic priest celebrating his first Mass

Maronite Catholics in Lebanon celebrate a new priest

Day 213: Bishops and the Episcopacy

"Amongst those various offices which have been exercised in the Church from the earliest times the chief place, according to the witness of tradition, is held by the function of those who, through their appointment to the dignity and responsibility of bishop, and in virtue consequently of the unbroken succession going back to the beginning, are regarded as transmitters of the apostolic line." CCC 1555 

In today's reading, the Catechism discusses the three degrees of the Sacrament of Holy Orders: episcopate, presbyterate, and diaconate. The focus today is mostly on the first, the episcopate. Together with the presbyterate, the episcopate is the "ministerial participation in the priesthood of Christ," while the "diaconate is intended to help and serve them" (CCC 1554). Although they differ from one another, all three receive ordination, or the Sacrament of Holy Orders.

The Catechism Compendium gives a summary of the effect of episcopal ordination:

Episcopal ordination confers the fullness of the sacrament of Holy Orders. It makes the bishop a legitimate successor of the apostles and integrates him into the episcopal college to share with the Pope and the other bishops care for all the churches. It confers on him the offices of teaching, sanctifying, and ruling. (#325)

While the Pope as the Successor of St. Peter is the Vicar of Christ over the whole Church, and of course in his own Diocese of Rome, each bishop is the "Christ's vicar" over the particular church entrusted to them. He also "at the same time... bears collegially with all his brothers in the episcopacy the solicitude for all the Churches" and with his brother bishops is responsible "for the apostolic mission of the Church" (CCC 1560).

The Catechism Companion, Vol II has some good commentary on these important offices within the Church, especially the episcopate:

St. Ignatius of Antioch said, "Let everyone revere the deacons as Jesus Christ, the bishop as the image of the Father, and the presbyters as the senate of God and the assembly of the apostles. For without them, one cannot speak of the Church" (quoted in 1554). Bishops make holy by bringing the people of God to God and vice versa; they instruct by clearly communicating the Word and the mission attached to it; and they govern through their leadership in their own diocese. Bishops have an obligation to this trifold office, for the sake of the souls specifically entrusted to them. A bishop is responsible for every soul in his diocese - not only those who are Catholic. (p. 190)

Finally, Dr. John Bergsma has a pretty good video explaining why we need bishops in the Church:

Day 212: In Persona Christi

The ministerial priesthood has the task not only of representing Christ - Head of the Church - before the assembly of the faithful, but also of acting in the name of the whole Church when presenting to God the prayer of the Church, and above all when offering the Eucharistic sacrifice. CCC 1552

In today's reading, the Catechism discusses mainly the ministerial priesthood acting in persona Christi and "in the name of the whole Church". This does not mean that priests act alone, for by Baptism and Confirmation all the faithful are "consecrated to be . . . a holy priesthood" through our participation and "each according to his own vocation" (CCC 1546). Nevertheless, bishops and priests, indeed one could say all those who receive Holy Orders, carry a special burden in service to God and the faithful. As the Catechism Companion, Vol II notes:

Just as the failings of a father can be devastating to his family, those of the priest can be equally so for the family of the Church. There is a weight put on priests to live up to their call and take care of their spiritual children, as they have, in some ways, a higher capacity to lead others into sin through their own sins. This is why they need to follow the example of Christ. (p. 188)

I also like how the Catechism Companion comments on the "royal priesthood" (1 Pet 2:9) for the faithful:

Any suffering, work, and rejoicing can be united to that of Jesus, and when we worship him at the Mass, we can unite to his offering of self to the Fathers as well - but in a different way than a priest or a bishop can. Jesus is the prime example of unconquerable authority and power, and he puts it to use for the service of those around him, modeling what it is to be a good man. (p. 188)

Finally, Dr. Brant Pitre has a good video on this:

Day 211: The One Priesthood of Christ

The redemptive sacrifice of Christ is unique, accomplished once and for all; yet it is made present in the Eucharistic sacrifice of the Church. the same is true of the one priesthood of Christ; it is made present through the ministerial priesthood without diminishing the uniqueness of Christ's priesthood: "Only Christ is the true priest, the others being only his ministers." CCC 1545

In today's reading, the Catechism discusses the one, true priesthood of Christ and the sharing in this priesthood by Catholic priests. Melchizedek (Gen 14:18) and everything the Old Covenant prefigured, find perfect fulfillment in the priesthood of Christ (Heb 6:20).

The Catechism Compendium summarizes this understanding of the Old Covenant prefiguring of Christ's priesthood:

This sacrament was prefigured in the Old Covenant in the service of the Levites, in the priesthood of Aaron, and in the institution of the seventy “Elders” (Numbers 11:25). These prefigurations find their fulfillment in Christ Jesus who by the sacrifice of the cross is the “one mediator between God and man” (1 Timothy 2:5), the “High Priest according to the order of Melchizedek” (Hebrews 5:10). The one priesthood of Christ is made present in the ministerial priesthood. “Only Christ is the true priest, the others being only his ministers.” (Saint Thomas Aquinas) (#324)

In the Catechism Companion, Vol II we find some commentary on how this relates to the New Covenant and Catholic priests today:

In the New Covenant, priests are referred to as fathers and are joined to Jesus' priesthood. Priests "act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins" (CCC 1539)... The sacrifice of the Holy Eucharist re-presents the one sacrifice of Jesus at every Mass. Jesus is the one High Priest, and Catholic priests share in his priesthood. (p. 186) 

Finally, Dr. Brant Pitre has an interesting video tying the Old Covenant priesthood with that established by Christ in the New:

Day 210: The Sacrament of Holy Orders

Holy Orders is the sacrament through which the mission entrusted by Christ to his apostles continues to be exercised in the Church until the end of time: thus it is the sacrament of apostolic ministry. It includes three degrees: episcopate, presbyterate, and diaconate. CCC 1536

In today's reading, the Catechism discusses the next sacrament, Holy Orders. This sacrament, like Matrimony, is "directed towards the salvation of others; if they contribute as well to personal salvation, it is through service to others that they do so" (CCC 1534). 

The Catechism Compendium gives a summary of why this Sacrament is called Holy Orders:

Orders designates an ecclesial body into which one enters by means of a special consecration (ordination). Through a special gift of the Holy Spirit, this sacrament enables the ordained to exercise a sacred power in the name and with the authority of Christ for the service of the People of God. (#323)

It is through Holy Orders that the mission given by Christ to the Church is carried out (Matt 28:18-20), most especially in the Mass and the Sacraments. 

Priests lay their hands on the ordinands during a Catholic rite of ordination.

Day 209: Summary of the Anointing of the Sick

The sacrament of Anointing of the Sick has as its purpose the conferral of a special grace on the Christian experiencing the difficulties inherent in the condition of grave illness or old age. CCC 1527

In today's reading, the Catechism gives an "In Brief" about what has been covered over the past few days. I really have nothing further to add to this, but the Catechism Companion, Vol II has some good commentary:

Our lives can serve as a practice for death. Often, we do not reflect deeply on death or the death of those close to us. Reflection is different from worrying, and it involves praying and meditating on our own death. The Church offers ways to prepare for death, such as making a daily examination of conscience. The examination helps us assess whether we are actively saying yes to God or being indifferent or rejecting him... By giving up things that bind us, we cultivate the readiness to let go and prepare for heaven. The Church provides these practices because it wants us to be ready for death. (p. 182)

Finally, Dr. Brant Pitre does a good job explaining the sacrament in this video:

Day 208: Completing the Earthly Pilgrimage

[J]ust as the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, and the Eucharist form a unity called "the sacraments of Christian initiation," so too it can be said that Penance, the Anointing of the Sick, and the Eucharist as viaticum constitute at the end of Christian life "the sacraments that prepare for our heavenly homeland" or the sacraments that complete the earthly pilgrimage. CCC 1525

Today's reading from the Catechism discusses the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick, Viaticum, and the end of our lives here on earth. The effects of the sacrament are outlined in this summary from the Catechism Compendium:

This sacrament confers a special grace which unites the sick person more intimately to the Passion of Christ for his good and for the good of all the Church. It gives comfort, peace, courage, and even the forgiveness of sins if the sick person is not able to make a confession. Sometimes, if it is the will of God, this sacrament even brings about the restoration of physical health. In any case, this Anointing prepares the sick person for the journey to the Father’s House. (#319)

 The Catechism Companion, Vol II has some good commentary on this:

In the Anointing of the Sick we pray not only for physical healing but also for deeper spiritual healing and forgiveness of sins. The sacrament enables us to join our suffering with Jesus Christ for the salvation of the world. Our suffering can be transformed into something meaningful through the power of Christ. We can offer our suffering for the well-being of the Church and recognize that we are not alone in our suffering. (p. 180)

Finally, the Catechism Compendium gives a summary of what is the final sacrament:

Viaticum is the Holy Eucharist received by those who are about to leave this earthly life and are preparing for the journey to eternal life. Communion in the body and blood of Christ who died and rose from the dead, received at the moment of passing from this world to the Father, is the seed of eternal life and the power of the resurrection. (#320)

I can imagine no greater blessing than to be surrounded by loved ones and leave this world with the Body and Blood of Christ (Jn 6:53-54). After receiving Holy Communion, it's off to greet the Father in the afterlife!

Administration of the (Eastern Orthodox) Eucharist to a dying woman (1839 painting by artist Alexey Venetsianov) 

The Church provides us with countless spiritual riches in preparation for death. This image shows one such gift, Viaticum, the Eucharist given as food for the journey (see CCC 1524). (p. 181)

Day 207: Celebrating the Anointing of the Sick

The Anointing of the Sick "is not a sacrament for those only who are at the point of death. Hence, as soon as any of the faithful begins to be in danger of death from sickness or old age, the fitting time for him to receive this sacrament has certainly already arrived." CCC 1514

In today's reading, the Catechism discusses how the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick is celebrated. Any of the faithful can receive this sacrament if there is fear of death due to sickness or old age. It can be received more than once, even for the same illness if it worsens or should another severe malady strike. Ideally, this sacrament is received after Penance and followed by the Eucharist. In fact, as to the latter, the Catechism notes that "the Eucharist should always be the last sacrament of the earthly journey" (CCC 1517). This sacrament should only be ministered by a bishop or a priest, not laypeople. 

The Catechism Compendium gives a summary of how the sacrament itself is celebrated:

The celebration of this sacrament consists essentially in an anointing with oil which may be blessed by the bishop. The anointing is on the forehead and on the hands of the sick person (in the Roman rite) or also on other parts of the body (in the other rites) accompanied by the prayer of the priest who asks for the special grace of this sacrament. (#318)

The Catechism Companion, Vol II has some good commentary on this sacrament:

The Anointing of the Sick brings comfort and strength to those nearing the end of their earthly lives. The sacraments, including the Anointing of the Sick, are gifts of God's mercy and grace that bring sus into his family and restore us to health. (p. 178) 

Day 206: Healing the Sick

The Church believes and confesses that among the seven sacraments, there is one especially intended to strengthen those who are being tried by illness, the Anointing of the Sick: "This sacred anointing of the sick was instituted by Christ our Lord as a true and proper sacrament of the New Testament. It is alluded to indeed by Mark, but is recommended to the faithful and promulgated by James the apostle and brother of the Lord." CCC 1511

In today's reading, the Catechism discusses the example set by Jesus and the Apostles for the Church's calling for healing those who are struck by illness, most especially through the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick.

The Catechism Compendium has a summary of the Church's attitude toward the sick:

Having received from the Lord the charge to heal the sick, the Church strives to carry it out by taking care of the sick and accompanying them with her prayer of intercession. Above all, the Church possesses a sacrament specifically intended for the benefit of the sick. This sacrament was instituted by Christ and is attested by Saint James: “Is anyone among you sick? Let him call in the presbyters of the Church and let them pray over him and anoint him with oil in the name of the Lord” (James 5:14-15). (#315)

This sacrament is not "magic" and the Lord may not grant physical healing of our bodies. The Catechism Companion, Vol II notes:

God may allow us to experience illness as a correction so we will change our lives, or because he wants us to grow, or because he wants to soften our hearts. He also may allow us to experience suffering because it is redemptive. St. John Paul II wrote in Salvifici Doloris that nothing is lacking in the sufferings of Christ, but Jesus extends to us a sliver of his Cross so that you and I can be co-workers in the mystery of his redemptive work in this world. Jesus wants us to share in his affliction as well as his glory, shaping our hearts to be more like his... Pain and suffering remind us of our finiteness and can be God's megaphone to awaken us from spiritual slumber. (p. 176) 

Finally, Fr. Mike Schmitz in this video answers the question of why God doesn't heal everybody:

Day 205: Christ the Physician

"By the sacred anointing of the sick and the prayer of the priests the whole Church commends those who are ill to the suffering and glorified Lord, that he may raise them up and save them. And indeed she exhorts them to contribute to the good of the People of God by freely uniting themselves to the Passion and death of Christ." CCC 1499

In today's reading, the Catechism discusses the background to the Sacrament of the Anointing of the Sick. There is an old joke that there are only two sure things in life: death and taxes. While the latter may vary from time to time and from culture to culture, the former is definite. We all will get sick at times and will one day die (Heb 9:27). That is not a matter of faith, but one of easily provable reality. Getting sick, in a word, sucks. Or to put it as the Catechism does, "man experiences his powerlessness, his limitations, and his finitude" (CCC 1500). Sickness can spark different reactions in different people, or even the same person depending upon various things like the time of their life it happens or the severity of the illness. As the Catechism states:

Illness can lead to anguish, self-absorption, sometimes even despair, and revolt against God. It can also make a person more mature, helping him discern in his life what is not essential so that he can turn toward that which is. Very often illness provokes a search for God and a return to him. (CCC 1501)

In the times of much of the Scriptures, illness was seen as a result of sin and God's anger (Ps 38:3-5). The Catechism Compendium elaborates:

In the Old Testament sickness was experienced as a sign of weakness and at the same time perceived as mysteriously bound up with sin. The prophets intuited that sickness could also have a redemptive value for one’s own sins and those of others. Thus sickness was lived out in the presence of God from whom people implored healing. (#313)

In the New Testament, Jesus is shown as healing physical illnesses (e.g. Lk 4:40), healing the sickness from sin (e.g. Lk 5:31-32), healing as a sign of salvation (e.g. Jn 9:1-7), and His healing continues in the Sacraments (Jam 5:14-15). For this reason, Jesus is often referred to as the Divine Physician in the Church. 

The Catechism Compendium summarizes the Church's belief concerning our suffering and Christ:

The compassion of Jesus toward the sick and his many healings of the infirm were a clear sign that with him had come the Kingdom of God and therefore victory over sin, over suffering, and over death. By his own passion and death, he gave new meaning to our suffering which, when united with his own, can become a means of purification and of salvation for us and for others. (#314)