Can someone help me understand why Catholics think Eucharist is a sacrifice?

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I read this, but am having trouble understanding it or why Catholics believe the weekly Eucharist is a repeat of Christ’s sacrifice for our sins. Thank you in advance for any guidance you can provide on this matter.

Why do Catholics view the Eucharist as a sacrifice?

· Christ’s death was a sacrifice for our sins. The only sacrifice. The eternal sacrifice. Catholics believe that by the power of the Holy Spirit, His one eternal sacrifice is made present once, so we can share in it in Eucharist. Catholics believe they do not simply remember the sacrifice, but that the Holy Spirit makes it present and contemporaneous.

· The church is active in the re-presentation of Christ’s eternal sacrifice. The priest represents the head of the church. The baptized share in Christ’s body as both priest and victim. The Eurcharist is the sacrifice also of the Church. The church, which is the Body and Bride of Christ, participate in the sacrificial offering of her Head and Spouse. In the Eurcharist, the sacrifice of Christ becomes the sacrifice of the members of His body who united to Christ form one sacrificial offering. United with Christ, we offer ourselves as sacrifice to the Father, as we are sacrificially united with Christ. The whole Church exercises the role of priest and victim along with Christ, offering the Sacrifice of the Mass and itself completely offered in it.
 
Joe5858 said:
I read this, but am having trouble understanding it or why Catholics believe the weekly Eucharist is a repeat of Christ’s sacrifice for our sins. Thank you in advance for any guidance you can provide on this matter.

Why do Catholics view the Eucharist as a sacrifice?

· Christ’s death was a sacrifice for our sins. The only sacrifice. The eternal sacrifice. Catholics believe that by the power of the Holy Spirit, His one eternal sacrifice is made present once, so we can share in it in Eucharist. Catholics believe they do not simply remember the sacrifice, but that the Holy Spirit makes it present and contemporaneous.

· The church is active in the re-presentation of Christ’s eternal sacrifice. The priest represents the head of the church. The baptized share in Christ’s body as both priest and victim. The Eurcharist is the sacrifice also of the Church. The church, which is the Body and Bride of Christ, participate in the sacrificial offering of her Head and Spouse. In the Eurcharist, the sacrifice of Christ becomes the sacrifice of the members of His body who united to Christ form one sacrificial offering. United with Christ, we offer ourselves as sacrifice to the Father, as we are sacrificially united with Christ. The whole Church exercises the role of priest and victim along with Christ, offering the Sacrifice of the Mass and itself completely offered in it.
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Well, Joe, the thing is that it is NOT a repeat sacrifice. It is the very SAME sacrifice Christ made for us nearly 2000 years ago. We are, at every Mass at every time, from the first Mass at the Last Supper to the last Mass offered before Christ comes again, present WITH HIM as He offers Himself in reparation for our sins.
 
Joe5858 said:
I read this, but am having trouble understanding it or why Catholics believe the weekly Eucharist is a repeat of Christ’s sacrifice for our sins.
Click to expand...
It’s not a repeat. God is pure act; everything he does, he does eternally. That’s why Christ’s sacrifice is an eternal sacrifice; he is the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world. His sacrifice is an act that does not end.
 
His sacrifice is an eternal one. His sacrifice is re-presented to us here on earth in our time and space than we may partake of His Body and Blood as it is offered to the Father in eternity for us. He is not re-sacrificed. His sacrifice was done once for all, but it is re-presented to us each time a Mass is said. He said He would be with us until the end of time.
 
Thank you for the responses. Can someone help me understand the second paragraph about the analogy of the church being the bride? I can’t follow it.

Joe
 
Joe5858 said:
I read this, but am having trouble understanding it or why Catholics believe the weekly Eucharist is a repeat of Christ’s sacrifice for our sins. Thank you in advance for any guidance you can provide on this matter.

Why do Catholics view the Eucharist as a sacrifice?

· Christ’s death was a sacrifice for our sins. The only sacrifice. The eternal sacrifice. Catholics believe that by the power of the Holy Spirit, His one eternal sacrifice is made present once, so we can share in it in Eucharist. Catholics believe they do not simply remember the sacrifice, but that the Holy Spirit makes it present and contemporaneous.

· The church is active in the re-presentation of Christ’s eternal sacrifice. The priest represents the head of the church. The baptized share in Christ’s body as both priest and victim. The Eurcharist is the sacrifice also of the Church. The church, which is the Body and Bride of Christ, participate in the sacrificial offering of her Head and Spouse. In the Eurcharist, the sacrifice of Christ becomes the sacrifice of the members of His body who united to Christ form one sacrificial offering. United with Christ, we offer ourselves as sacrifice to the Father, as we are sacrificially united with Christ. The whole Church exercises the role of priest and victim along with Christ, offering the Sacrifice of the Mass and itself completely offered in it.
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This article gives some of the reasons why Catholics think the Eucharist is a sacrifice:

The Sacrifice of the Mass
catholic.com/tracts/the-sacrifice-of-the-mass
 
Joe5858 said:
I read this, but am having trouble understanding it or why Catholics believe the weekly Eucharist is a repeat of Christ’s sacrifice for our sins.
Click to expand...
You have been severely misled. You need to study Catholic Sources not Protestant ones that give false ideas of what Catholics Believe. Start with the Catechism of The Catholic Church

At the Eucharist we participate in Christ’s one time, eternal sacrifice for our sins. It is in The Eucharist that we are made present at Calvary, as it were.
 
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