Help Me Understand the Sacrifice of the Mass

[jinc1019]

Hi,

I’m having a hard time understanding what the Roman Catholic Church teaches about the sacrifice of the Mass. I’ve read numerous Catholic apologetics, listened to debates, and read the Catechism’s section on the Mass, but I still don’t think I fully understand it.

The area of confusion is the sacrificial nature of the Mass. I understand Roman Catholic theology teaches the sacrifice at the Mass is a re-presentation of the once-for-all sacrifice Christ made on Calvary. What I don’t understand is whether at the Mass a new OFFERING is made, or if it’s also the same offering Christ made and the priest/laity somehow experience and partake of that offering (even though it happened 2,000 years ago).

The confusion arises because Catholics (and the CCC) have a tendency to say things as though there are many offerings and that the Mass offering is different from Christ’s offering because it’s unbloody. If it’s a different offering, how does that fit with the passages of scripture in Hebrews that seems to say Christ offered himself once?

Perhaps it’s possible “offering” and “sacrifice” mean the same thing in Catholic theology, which could also be throwing me off. Any help at all would be great. Thanks!

 

[steve-b]

Hi,

I’m having a hard time understanding what the Roman Catholic Church teaches about the sacrifice of the Mass. I’ve read numerous Catholic apologetics, listened to debates, and read the Catechism’s section on the Mass, but I still don’t think I fully understand it.

The area of confusion is the sacrificial nature of the Mass.

snip for space]

While this following scripture from Hebrews, doesn’t mention
• Mass
• Sunday
• Eucharist
• Mortal sin for deliberately missing Mass

Anybody can see what is being described. What they are doing when they meet, and what Day it is that they meet, and that there is disastrous consequences for that person if they deliberately fail to meet on “the Day” once they become knowledgeable of the truth. IOW it’s already a huge sin to not follow this command

IOW, based on the consequences, this is not a suggestion to do, but a command to do……or else

Heb 10: (all emphasis mine) Heb 10:19-31 RSVCE - A Call to Persevere - Therefore, - Bible Gateway

19 Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way which he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful; 24 and let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.

26 For if we sin deliberately after receiving the knowledge of the truth,
there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins,

27 but a fearful prospect of judgment,
and a fury of fire which will consume the adversaries.

28 A man who has violated the law of Moses dies without mercy at the testimony of two or three witnesses.

29 How much worse punishment do you think will be deserved by the man who has spurned the Son of God,
and profaned the blood of the covenant
by which he was sanctified, and outraged the Spirit of grace?

30 For we know him who said, “Vengeance is mine, I will repay.” And again, “The Lord will judge his people.”

31 It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God."

Unpacking that

what does the sacrifice for sin and the blood of the covenant have to do with them when they meet on “the Day” ? Jesus used those words instituting the Eucharist. Matthew 26:28 Mt 26:28 RSVCE - for this is my blood of the covenant, - Bible Gateway

They are celebrating the Mass
THAT’s why those who deliberately fail to celebrate Mass (the Eucharist) on Sunday after being given the knowledge of truth,

there no longer remains for Them a sacrifice for sin
they Spurn the Son of God
they outrage the spirit of grace
a fearful prospect of judgement awaits them
and a fury of fire will consume these adversaries

 

[Vico]

…but I still don’t think I fully understand it.

The area of confusion is the sacrificial nature of the Mass. … What I don’t understand is whether at the Mass a new OFFERING is made, or if it’s also the same offering Christ made and the priest/laity somehow experience and partake of that offering (even though it happened 2,000 years ago).

The confusion arises because Catholics (and the CCC) have a tendency to say things as though there are many offerings and that the Mass offering is different from Christ’s offering because it’s unbloody. If it’s a different offering, how does that fit with the passages of scripture in Hebrews that seems to say Christ offered himself once?

Perhaps it’s possible “offering” and “sacrifice” mean the same thing in Catholic theology, which could also be throwing me off. Any help at all would be great. Thanks!

Just one single bloody sacrifice on the cross is offered in a propitiatory unbloody manner (a sacrifice of praise) offered through Christ and with him.

Catechism

Final Purification through the Eucharistic sacrifice

1032 This teaching is also based on the practice of prayer for the dead, already mentioned in Sacred Scripture: "Therefore [Judas Maccabeus] made atonement for the dead, that they might be delivered from their sin."609 From the beginning the Church has honored the memory of the dead and offered prayers in suffrage for them, above all the Eucharistic sacrifice, so that, thus purified, they may attain the beatific vision of God.610

610 Cf. Council of Lyons II (1274)S 856.

1367 The sacrifice of Christ and the sacrifice of the Eucharist are one single sacrifice: “The victim is one and the same: the same now offers through the ministry of priests, who then offered himself on the cross; only the manner of offering is different.” "And since in this divine sacrifice which is celebrated in the Mass, the same Christ who offered himself once in a bloody manner on the altar of the cross is contained and is offered in an unbloody manner. . . this sacrifice is truly propitiatory."190

 

[petra22]

and since it’s being re-presented in our day, we can bring our offerings (of our money or our very selves) to the altar to join them with the offering Jesus made. It’s wonderful how he allows us to be participants in his own bloody sacrifice… across the generations… Thank you, Jesus!

 

[jinc1019]

Thanks for all the replies. They are very much appreciated. How do you explain the priest in Mass “offering” Christ, if Christ had already been offered at Calvary? I understand at Mass the belief is Calvary is mysteriously made present because the sacrificed Christ is made present, but then the CCC says the priest offers up Christ. Isn’t this a new offering? I’m sure you’ll say it isn’t, but why? If Christ was offered once for all, as Hebrews clearly says, then what is the priest doing when he “offers” Christ (after the bread and wine is believed to have been transformed) at Mass?

 

[jinc1019]

Thanks for this quote. I remember Section 1367 of the CCC well, but, frankly, I find it confusing. It says the ministry of the priests “now offers” the same “victim,” meaning Jesus. As I mentioned in the comment I just left, this sounds like a new offering of the same sacrificed Jesus.

 

[JimG]

Each Mass has different participants at different times and places. But each Mass is not a separate event. Each Mass is the same event, made present to us sacramentally. Because Christ’s once for all offering is made present in each Mass, we have the opportunity to join our little sacrifices with His great sacrifice, to join ourselves to Him.

 

[Todd_Easton]

The sacrifice of the Mass in some respects Is the same as Christ’s sacrifice on Calvary and in some respects it is a new sacrifice.

The sacrifice of the Mass is the same as Christ’s sacrifice on Calvary because, with qualification, the “victim” being offered in both sacrifices is the same and the “priest” offering both sacrifices is the same. The “victim” in both cases is Jesus Christ with the qualification that Jesus was mortal when he was offered in sacrifice on Calvary but now when he is offered in sacrifice at Mass he is risen and glorified, immortal and impassible (incapable of being harmed in any way). The “priest” in both cases is also Jesus with the qualification that Jesus acted as priest alone on Calvary but now at Mass he acts through the Catholic priest; the Catholic priest acts in persona Christi.

The sacrifice of the Mass is a new sacrifice because the manner in which the “victim” is offered and because the date, time and location of the offerings are different. At Calvary, the “victim” was offered in a bloody manner, i.e., was killed; now at Mass, the “victim” is not killed but offered in an unbloody or unharmed manner, as a living sacrifice, like when in the Old Testament the entire tribe of Levi was offered as a living sacrifice to the Lord, as a wave offering. See Numbers 8:5-22.

It should be remembered that, wherever the risen Jesus now appears, such as when he is offered in sacrifice at Mass today, his sacrifice on Calvary is brought to mind (made present again, re-presented) because, though now risen from the dead and glorified, Jesus still bears the marks of his crucifixion in his flesh. See John 20:27; Revelation 5:6. Jesus’ sacrifice at Calvary is brought to mind at the sacrifice of the Mass similar to the way a soldier’s wartime sacrifice of an arm, or leg or eye is brought to mind when people see him marching in uniform in a Veterans Day parade with an empty shirt sleeve or empty pant leg or eye patch. Jesus’ bloody sacrifice, i.e., his death, was a singular, unrepeatable event that occurred about 2000 years ago on the afternoon of the first Good Friday. Jesus’ unbloody sacrifice at Mass now, because he is not harmed in any way, is repeatable and has been repeated throughout Church history, fulfilling the prophesy of Malachi 1:11, “For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name is great among the nations, and in every place incense is offered to my name, and a pure offering; for my name is great among the nations, says the Lord of hosts.”

(continued in a later post)

 

[Todd_Easton]

(continued from an earlier post)

Ancient Israel, the ancient pagans, and the early Christians, as Catholics today, all practiced some form of sacrificial worship, where a priest offered a food (or drink) sacrifice to a deity on a table or altar (or cup) dedicated to the deity and then those worshippers who wanted to receive the benefits of the sacrifice would eat (or drink) the sacrifices, partake of the table (or cup) of the deity. In the case of ancient Israel and early Christians, as Catholics today, the deity in question was the one true God; in the case of the ancient pagans it was their so-called gods and idols, which were really demons. St Paul briefly talks about this when he compares the sacrificial worship of ancient Israel, ancient pagans and early Christians in 1 Corinthians 10:14-22. The Passover feast of ancient Israel was a form of sacrificial worship, where the Passover lamb was first offered in sacrifice to God by a priest and then it was taken home to be eaten by those who wished to benefit from the sacrifice. That the Lord’s Supper of the early Christians (the Mass) was similar to the sacrificial worship of the Passover of ancient Israel can be seen in the words St Paul uses, when he compares Jesus to the Paschal (Passover) lamb, “For Christ, our paschal lamb, has been sacrificed [in a bloody manner on Calvary long ago]. Let us, therefore, celebrate the festival…[by eating that self-same lamb today]” (1 Corinthians 5:7b-8a) Because the “victim” at the sacrifice of the Mass today is the same as the “victim” at Calvary, namely, Jesus, those Christian worshippers who eat of the “victim” (Jesus) at Mass today receive not only the benefits of today’s unbloody sacrifice but also the benefits of Jesus’ bloody sacrifice on Calvary 2000 years ago. St Paul further said,

The cup of blessing which we bless [at Mass today], is it not a participation in the blood of Christ [that was offered in sacrifice at Calvary]? The bread which we break [at Mass today], is it not a participation in the body of Christ [that was offered in sacrifice at Calvary]? (1 Corinthians 10:16)

And,

Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord [today] in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the [same] body and blood of the Lord [that was offered in sacrifice at Calvary]. (1 Corinthians 11:27)

 

[Vico]

Thanks for this quote. I remember Section 1367 of the CCC well, but, frankly, I find it confusing. It says the ministry of the priests “now offers” the same “victim,” meaning Jesus. As I mentioned in the comment I just left, this sounds like a new offering of the same sacrificed Jesus.

“The sacrifice of Christ and the sacrifice of the Eucharist are one single sacrifice” …

So it continues in every instance of unbloody sacrifice.

 

[greenrangerx]

Thanks for all the replies. They are very much appreciated. How do you explain the priest in Mass “offering” Christ, if Christ had already been offered at Calvary? I understand at Mass the belief is Calvary is mysteriously made present because the sacrificed Christ is made present, but then the CCC says the priest offers up Christ. Isn’t this a new offering? I’m sure you’ll say it isn’t, but why? If Christ was offered once for all, as Hebrews clearly says, then what is the priest doing when he “offers” Christ (after the bread and wine is believed to have been transformed) at Mass?

In the sacrifice of the Mass, the priest is acting in persona Christi (in the person of Christ). Therefore, it is not the priest making the offering, but Christ acting through him. The sacraments “are efficacious because in them Christ himself is at work: it is he who baptizes, he who acts in his sacraments in order to communicate the grace that each sacrament signifies” (CCC 1127). See also CCC 1548-1551.

 

[jinc1019]

Hi All,

This reply by Todd (Todd, did you write this, or did you grab it from another source?) is really, really good and very helpful. The “in persona Christi” note is exactly what I was looking for and explained my earlier question. Thanks!

 

[jinc1019]

Greenranger’s response about “in personal Christi” and his quote from the CCC is also very helpful! Thanks to you all.

 

[De_Maria]

I’m having a hard time understanding what the Roman Catholic Church teaches about the sacrifice of the Mass. I’ve read numerous Catholic apologetics, listened to debates, and read the Catechism’s section on the Mass, but I still don’t think I fully understand it.

It’s a hard subject.

The area of confusion is the sacrificial nature of the Mass. I understand Roman Catholic theology teaches the sacrifice at the Mass is a re-presentation of the once-for-all sacrifice Christ made on Calvary.

Agreed. One single sacrifice:

1367 The sacrifice of Christ and the sacrifice of the Eucharist are one single sacrifice: “The victim is one and the same: the same now offers through the ministry of priests, who then offered himself on the cross; only the manner of offering is different.” “And since in this divine sacrifice which is celebrated in the Mass, the same Christ who offered himself once in a bloody manner on the altar of the cross is contained and is offered in an unbloody manner. . . this sacrifice is truly propitiatory.”

What I don’t understand is whether at the Mass a new OFFERING is made, or if it’s also the same offering Christ made and the priest/laity somehow experience and partake of that offering (even though it happened 2,000 years ago).

It is a “new” offering in the sense that you have never made it before.
It is the same offering in that the Victim offered is the same Jesus Christ.

The confusion arises because Catholics (and the CCC) have a tendency to say things as though there are many offerings and that the Mass offering is different from Christ’s offering because it’s unbloody. If it’s a different offering, how does that fit with the passages of scripture in Hebrews that seems to say Christ offered himself once?

1. Un-bloody does not mean “without blood”. It means that the blood is not visible to the naked eye. Remember, the Eucharist is the body, BLOOD, soul and divinity of Jesus Christ.
2. The Mass is the Christian Passover. Think about the original Passover.
   a. The Passover Lamb was slain in a bloody manner. Literally, slaughtered. This corresponds to that which happened in Calvary, upon the Cross.

b. But the Passover Lamb was consumed by the people of God in an un-bloody manner when they participated in the Feast. The blood was painted on the door posts, but the Passover Lamb was eaten at a regular supper. This corresponds to that which we do in the Mass. We eat the Lamb of God at the Table of the Lord in an un-bloody manner. The Body and Blood of the Lord are in the guise of bread and wine.

Perhaps it’s possible “offering” and “sacrifice” mean the same thing in Catholic theology, which could also be throwing me off.

They do, depending on the context. Sacrifice has the additional connotation of “slaughter of a victim”, but includes connotation of “offering to God”. Whereas, offering simply means to offer that which is being sacrificed.

Any help at all would be great. Thanks!

[/quote]

I hope that helps. I certainly hope I didn’t muddle things up when you seem to have found some clarity.