text: Jesus NEVER, NEVER referred to himself as a Priest!  He was NOT born of the Tribe of Levi, nor was he of the House of Aaron.  He was of the Tribe of Judah, and of the house of David.  
  During Advent we hear this over and over, and certainly during Holy Week---Jesus is a King.
  
  The writer of the Letter to the Hebrews [and it was NOT Paul who wrote this], was trying to point out to the Jewish people who would read this, that Jesus was superior to Moses and to the high priests---because he was the "Faithful Son" [Hebrews 3:1-6].
  
  Those people selected as presbyters in the very early days of Christianity [selected and voted upon by the people], were just as capable of celebrating THE MEAL [as the Mass was called in the very early days], and acting in 'persona Christi' as any ordained priest today.
  
  Jesus told us, 'where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in their midst."  And he didn't mean this only if an ordained priest was there.