Is the Mass Biblical?

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TylerWS

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Hebrews 9:25-10:18 and specifically Hebrews 9:24-26
24 For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: 25 Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others; 26 For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.
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These verses seem to contradict the Catholic Church’s teaching concerning the Sacrifice of the Mass. Could someone please explain these verses and how the Catholic Church can keep its doctrine concerning the Eucharist in light of them?
 
That depends. There are several different interpretations on how the Last Supper relates to us today. I am hoping that the Catholic interpretation will be explained here.
 
Read the Book of Revelation… you will be surprised at just how Biblical the Mass really is… 👍
 
I’m not sure which aspect you see as being a contradiction. I’ll guess the repeated aspect.

Catholics do not believe that each mass is a new or different sacrifice. There is just the one (Jesus on cross). The mass is connected to that very singular one sacrifice. It is a memorial of it. It also makes Jesus (the one real offering) present in a true and real way.
 
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TylerWS:
That depends. There are several different interpretations on how the Last Supper relates to us today. I am hoping that the Catholic interpretation will be explained here.
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This has been covered many times over on threads on the forums so I’m surprised to see it again.

Have you taken the time to read this ?

catholic.com/library/Sacrifice_of_the_Mass.asp
 
Peace be with you!
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Pug:
Catholics do not believe that each mass is a new or different sacrifice. There is just the one (Jesus on cross). The mass is connected to that very singular one sacrifice. It is a memorial of it. It also makes Jesus (the one real offering) present in a true and real way.
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Let me get this well: is it a MEMORIAL or a SACRIFICE?

When you do the Mass, are you presenting a sacrifice to God?

In Love,
Yaqubos†
 
Many do not understand what the Church teaches about the Eucharist (CCC1322-1419). As the Scripture you quoted quite clearly states, Christ does NOT die again at each Mass. He is the Lamb of God (Rev 5.6-14) RE-presented…the eternal Sacrifice before God (Eph 5.2, Heb 7.14-28). God transcends space and time, so He is able to make the Sacrifice of Calvary eternally present. He tells His disciples His intent for the Mass in John 6.22-71 and all but His apostles leave him because this teaching was too difficult for them. He then institutes it at the Last Supper (Mk 14.22-24, Lk 22.19-20, etc). We are warned in Scripture about taking the Body and Blood without understanding what it IS…not simply a sign or symbol (1Cor 5.7, 10.16, 11.23-29). The Church Fathers affirmed this teaching presented in Scripture (home.inreach.com/bstanley/true.htm).
 
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YAQUBOS:
Peace be with you!

Let me get this well: is it a MEMORIAL or a SACRIFICE?
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Nice to meet you Yaqubos. In celebrating the mass, we remember, so it is a memorial. It is also fair to say that Catholics consider it a sacrifice. However, a Catholic would never agree that they consider it to be a re-sacrifice.

To me, just looking at what takes place in the words used by Jesus at the last supper, there is the form of a sacrifice in symbolism in that the cup (blood) and the bread (body) are in a state of separation. This is symbolic of a sacrifice to me fundamentally.
When you do the Mass, are you presenting a sacrifice to God?
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In the sacrifice of the mass, the priest is Jesus, our high priest, so I’m not sure if by the “you” you mean something in particular. It is Jesus who is the actor, not us, in this context.

But, Catholics are taught to offer themselves as sacrifices every day (this is not related to the mass). cf Rom12:1 However, many Catholics pray that the sufferings in their life be somehow united to Jesus on the cross. Catholics make mental offering of prayers to God during mass and at other times.
 
We spiritually offer up the sacrifice, the priest physically offers the sacrifice. This is not a new sacrifice, it is re-presenting the same sacrifice on calvary.
 
Peace be with you!
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Pug:
Nice to meet you Yaqubos. In celebrating the mass, we remember, so it is a memorial. It is also fair to say that Catholics consider it a sacrifice. However, a Catholic would never agree that they consider it to be a re-sacrifice.

To me, just looking at what takes place in the words used by Jesus at the last supper, there is the form of a sacrifice in symbolism in that the cup (blood) and the bread (body) are in a state of separation. This is symbolic of a sacrifice to me fundamentally.
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Thank you, Pug 🙂 Nice to meet you, too.

So can I conclude in brief that the Mass is a SYMBOL of the one Sacrifice that was presented by the One Priest Jesus Christ on the Cross?
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Pug:
In the sacrifice of the mass, the priest is Jesus, our high priest, so I’m not sure if by the “you” you mean something in particular. It is Jesus who is the actor, not us, in this context.
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So, in brief, you are NOT presenting any sacrifice in the Mass, right?

In Love,
Yaqubos†
 
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TylerWS:
Hebrews 9:25-10:18 and specifically Hebrews 9:24-26
These verses seem to contradict the Catholic Church’s teaching concerning the Sacrifice of the Mass. Could someone please explain these verses and how the Catholic Church can keep its doctrine concerning the Eucharist in light of them?
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This is a good question. There is a fantastic CD available from The Mary Foundation, by Father Larry Richards called “The Mass Explained” . It’s free for the asking…just go here: catholicity.com/

I just finished listening to it, & I recommend it to everyone, Catholic & non-Catholic alike. I will definitely have a much deeper appreciation for Mass form now on. Praise Be To God!
 
Peace be with you!
Luke1:48:
We spiritually offer up the sacrifice, the priest physically offers the sacrifice. This is not a new sacrifice, it is re-presenting the same sacrifice on calvary.
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This is NOT a new sacrifice.
The Sacrifice of the cross was presented ONCE FOR ALL by our Lord.
So this Mass is not a sacrifice at all. For the Lord is not presenting it AGAIN.

In Love,
Yaqubos†
 
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YAQUBOS:
So can I conclude in brief that the Mass is a SYMBOL of the one Sacrifice that was presented by the One Priest Jesus Christ on the Cross?
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My bro, God invented time, this sacrifice is perpetual, the priest re-presents that sacrifice, he doesn’t make a new one. This does not go against the once an for all, because it is not a new sacrifice.
 
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YAQUBOS:
This is NOT a new sacrifice.
The Sacrifice of the cross was presented ONCE FOR ALL by our Lord.
So this Mass is not a sacrifice at all. For the Lord is not presenting it AGAIN.
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The book of Revelation shows the Lord Slain perpetually on the Altar.
 
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YAQUBOS:
Peace be with you!

This is NOT a new sacrifice.
The Sacrifice of the cross was presented ONCE FOR ALL by our Lord.
So this Mass is not a sacrifice at all. For the Lord is not presenting it AGAIN.

In Love,
Yaqubos†
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Yaq…You’ve got it wrong…again (no offense, but you don’t seem to be listening.) You desperately need to read the CCC, which explains all this better than most of us can. Also there are two tracts here on this very site that you need to read that will help you understand what we are trying (w/o much success apparently) to explain to you. Try to remember that Our Lord can do anything He wants to do…even though we can’t completely understand the how, why etc…& if He says something is so there in the Bible, then (in the context of all other verses on the same topic) that is what He means. Please see these tracts and I beg you to begin to read the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which is here online, (so you don’t have to buy it). nccbuscc.org/catechism/text/index.htm

Here’s the tracts:catholic.com/library/Christ_in_the_Eucharist.asp
catholic.com/library/Real_Presence.asp
I would really like to talk to you about this at length, so feel free to PM me about it.
Sincerely in Christ’
Michael M.I. 🙂
 
In 1 Cor 5:7-8, Paul says, “…Christ, our paschal Lamb, has been sacrificed. Let us, therefore, celebrate the festival…”

One thing about the Old Testament paschal lamb, which prefigured Jesus Christ, is that any Israelite who wished to receive the benefit of the paschal sacrifice had to eat of the lamb. (Exodus 12:8) Likewise, any Christian wishing to benefit from the sacrifice of our paschal Lamb, Jesus Christ, on the cross at Golgotha has to eat of him, eat his flesh and drink his blood. Jesus said this in John 6:51-58. At Mass, our paschal Lamb, Jesus Christ, becomes really present, under the appearance of bread and wine, so that we might eat of him and benefit from his sacrifice on the cross at Golgotha.

In 1 Cor 10:16-22, Paul draws a parallel between the people of Israel, pagans, and you (Christians) and speaks of partaking of the Eucharist, “the bread which we bless…the Body of Christ” and “the cup of blessing which we bless…the Blood of Christ”, in the context of eating food offered in sacrifice:
16The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? 17Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread. 18Consider the people of Israel; are not those who eat the sacrifices partners in the altar? 19What do I imply then? That food offered to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? 20No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be partners with demons. 21You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons.
 
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TylerWS:
Hebrews 9:25-10:18 and specifically Hebrews 9:24-26
These verses seem to contradict the Catholic Church’s teaching concerning the Sacrifice of the Mass. Could someone please explain these verses and how the Catholic Church can keep its doctrine concerning the Eucharist in light of them?
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Tyler,

I suggest reading the entire book of Hebrews, or at least all of chapter nine, so that you see that he was explaining to the Jews that their sacrifices of the blood of calves, goats, etc., are no longer necessary, because of the sacrifice once and for all of the blood of Christ. Also, continue reading into chapter 10, and you see him encouraging the hebrews to “continue to assemble”. I think there he was dispelling their fears that the mass was a re-sacrifice of Jesus.

Hope that helps.
 
Peace be with you!
Luke1:48:
There is a sacrifice, it’s an unbloody one.
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As I am trying to understand what you believe exactly, so I have to ask now:

Does this mean that Jesus is offering TWO Sacrifices? One bloody and one unbloody?

In Love,
Yaqubos†
 
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