One final point to figure out on the sacrifice of the Mass

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Hi, I am just finishing up a long study of the book of Hebrews. After reading 5 different commentaries and countless threads here on the Mass as a sacrifice and the meaning of “Once for All”, I have one last thing to get clear in my mind.

In regards to the sacrifice that we participate in at the Mass:
  1. Is it the sacrifice at Calvary that we are participating in? Calvary is at a specific point in time and is past but it was presented to God who is outside of time. So every Mass is us participating in the presentation of the sacrifice as it is being offered to God the Father outside of time.
  2. Are we participating in the un-bloody sacrifice that Christ is continually presenting to the Father in heaven. In this ongoing sacrifice he is offering his glorious resurrected body to the Father. He is the high priest and all priests must offer gifts and sacrifices to the Father.
I suspect the answer is that we participate in both. When people talk about the representation of Christ’s sacrifice they are talking about option 1 and when people are talking about an un-bloody sacrifice they are talking about 2.

Maybe both options are actually somehow the same and I am just not seeing it.

Do you think I am on the right track here? Any thoughts to clarify would be great.

Thanks
 
We are participating in the glorified Christ at mass.
Mankney said:
Hi, I am just finishing up a long study of the book of Hebrews. After reading 5 different commentaries and countless threads here on the Mass as a sacrifice and the meaning of “Once for All”, I have one last thing to get clear in my mind.

In regards to the sacrifice that we participate in at the Mass:
  1. Is it the sacrifice at Calvary that we are participating in? Calvary is at a specific point in time and is past but it was presented to God who is outside of time. So every Mass is us participating in the presentation of the sacrifice as it is being offered to God the Father outside of time.
  2. Are we participating in the un-bloody sacrifice that Christ is continually presenting to the Father in heaven. In this ongoing sacrifice he is offering his glorious resurrected body to the Father. He is the high priest and all priests must offer gifts and sacrifices to the Father.
I suspect the answer is that we participate in both. When people talk about the representation of Christ’s sacrifice they are talking about option 1 and when people are talking about an un-bloody sacrifice they are talking about 2.

Maybe both options are actually somehow the same and I am just not seeing it.

Do you think I am on the right track here? Any thoughts to clarify would be great.

Thanks
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dmelosi said:
We are participating in the glorified Christ at mass.
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The Glorified Christ is Christ on the Cross, especially according to Mark’s Gospel.

But yes, we are participating at the foot of the Cross in Calgary, as well as with all the angels and saints.
 
Demolsi,
I think you are correct, the Liturgy of the Eucharist cannot be seen as participating in either option 1 or 2 and I am going to say it isn’t a combination of both. Here I am using hyperbole, of coase, but I do so to stress that it is more the communion of both - it must be unterstood as an organic whole.

I know that you wrote you just finished a long study of Hebrews and I don’t know if in your study talk of the importance of our understanding of the theology of the Resurrection and Ascension were included. If they were not and when your brain is clear enough to continue a study I would suggest you look into the meaning and affects of both the Resurrection and Ascension in regards to the Sacrifice of the Mass and how and why these two events are essential in understanding how the Sacrifice of the Mass is the same sacrifice of Christ Jesus on Calvary.
 
Mankney said:
Hi, I am just finishing up a long study of the book of Hebrews. After reading 5 different commentaries and countless threads here on the Mass as a sacrifice and the meaning of “Once for All”, I have one last thing to get clear in my mind.

In regards to the sacrifice that we participate in at the Mass:
  1. Is it the sacrifice at Calvary that we are participating in? Calvary is at a specific point in time and is past but it was presented to God who is outside of time. So every Mass is us participating in the presentation of the sacrifice as it is being offered to God the Father outside of time.
  2. Are we participating in the un-bloody sacrifice that Christ is continually presenting to the Father in heaven. In this ongoing sacrifice he is offering his glorious resurrected body to the Father. He is the high priest and all priests must offer gifts and sacrifices to the Father.
I suspect the answer is that we participate in both. When people talk about the representation of Christ’s sacrifice they are talking about option 1 and when people are talking about an un-bloody sacrifice they are talking about 2.

Maybe both options are actually somehow the same and I am just not seeing it.

Do you think I am on the right track here? Any thoughts to clarify would be great.

Thanks
Click to expand...
One cannot really draw an either/or line with regards to this matter. It must be understood that the sacrifice of Calvary and the exercise of the Eternal High Priest in the heavenly liturgy is one single sacrifice. So when one participates at Mass, he IS at Calvary, AND in the heavenly liturgy.

We tend to use the word “unbloody” because there is no shedding of actual, physical blood, and because Jesus does not die again. But the event of his death is indeed present to us, just as it is always present to the Father (i.e. the Lamb standing as if slain in Revelation 5).

I therefore find it hard to say “both” because, really, there is no “both”, only one.
 
porthos11 said:
Sure hope not. I’m planning to move there.
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To be honest with you, you’ll love it there. The Canadians are wonderful people. When my business cohorts get together at national shows, I’m considered the Honorary Canadian. I just tell them, “I’m from Southern Canada, ya’ll”.
 
Man I can’t believe I had the brain freeze with the Calvary/Calgary. Next time I guess I should be awake before I post 😃
 
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