Only here can I ask this

[Marysgirl]

In simple terms, what exactly is going on spiritually during the mass?

 

[KBarn]

I refer you to the recent encyclal letter of John Paul the Great, of beloved memory. He did a pretty nice job with this one!

1. This aspect of the universal charity of the Eucharistic Sacrifice is based on the words of the Saviour himself. In instituting it, he did not merely say: “This is my body”, “this is my blood”, but went on to add: “which is given for you”, “which is poured out for you” (Lk 22:19-20). Jesus did not simply state that what he was giving them to eat and drink was his body and his blood; he also expressed its sacrificial meaning and made sacramentally present his sacrifice which would soon be offered on the Cross for the salvation of all. “The Mass is at the same time, and inseparably, the sacrificial memorial in which the sacrifice of the Cross is perpetuated and the sacred banquet of communion with the Lord’s body and blood”.13

The Church constantly draws her life from the redeeming sacrifice; she approaches it not only through faith-filled remembrance, but also through a real contact, since this sacrifice is made present ever anew, sacramentally perpetuated, in every community which offers it at the hands of the consecrated minister. The Eucharist thus applies to men and women today the reconciliation won once for all by Christ for mankind in every age. “The sacrifice of Christ and the sacrifice of the Eucharist are one single sacrifice”.14 Saint John Chrysostom put it well: “We always offer the same Lamb, not one today and another tomorrow, but always the same one. For this reason the sacrifice is always only one… Even now we offer that victim who was once offered and who will never be consumed”.15

The Mass makes present the sacrifice of the Cross; it does not add to that sacrifice nor does it multiply it.16 What is repeated is its memorial celebration, its “commemorative representation” (memorialis demonstratio),17 which makes Christ’s one, definitive redemptive sacrifice always present in time. The sacrificial nature of the Eucharistic mystery cannot therefore be understood as something separate, independent of the Cross or only indirectly referring to the sacrifice of Calvary.

1. By virtue of its close relationship to the sacrifice of Golgotha, the Eucharist is a sacrifice in the strict sense, and not only in a general way, as if it were simply a matter of Christ’s offering himself to the faithful as their spiritual food. The gift of his love and obedience to the point of giving his life (cf. Jn 10:17-18) is in the first place a gift to his Father. Certainly it is a gift given for our sake, and indeed that of all humanity (cf. Mt 26:28; Mk 14:24; Lk 22:20; Jn 10:15), yet it is first and foremost a gift to the Father: “a sacrifice that the Father accepted, giving, in return for this total self-giving by his Son, who ‘became obedient unto death’ (Phil 2:8), his own paternal gift, that is to say the grant of new immortal life in the resurrection”.18

In giving his sacrifice to the Church, Christ has also made his own the spiritual sacrifice of the Church, which is called to offer herself in union with the sacrifice of Christ. This is the teaching of the Second Vatican Council concerning all the faithful: “Taking part in the Eucharistic Sacrifice, which is the source and summit of the whole Christian life, they offer the divine victim to God, and offer themselves along with it”.19

 

[Didi]

Volumes of books can be written about this!

In simple terms, the Catechism says:

CCC1357
“We carry out this command of the Lord [Do this in remembrance of me] by celebrating the memorial of His sacrifice. In so doing, we offer to the Father what he has Himself given us: the gifts of his creation, bread and wine which, by the power of the Holy Spirit and by the words of Christ, have become the body and blood of Christ. Christ is thus really and mysteriously made present.”

CCC1358
"We must therefore consider the Eucharist as:
-thanksgiving and praise to the Father
-the sacrificial memorial of Christ and His Body
-the presence of Christ by the power of His word and of His Spirit.

[My own words]
God is present in His Sacred Word in the readings of Scripture, He is present in each of us, who make up the Body of Christ, He is present when the priest, acting in the person of Christ, says the words of consecration “This is my Body; this is my Blood.”

It is the closest to heaven we get to be until we pass from this world!

It is a family meal that unites us to all Catholics throughout all time in all the world!

If you haven’t read the book “The Lamb’s Supper” by Scott Hahn, I highly recommend it. It will give you new insight to the beauty of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

 

[Exporter]

Didi and Kbarn,

Thank you both for writting such a wonderful description of the sprituality of the Mass.

I will not try to add a thing. Again , thank you.

 

[puzzleannie]

a terrific video that answers your precise question is A Walk Through the Mass by bishop Wuerl, available through Ignatius press. The best book on the Mass I can suggest is by Joseph Ratzinger, the Spirit of the Liturgy, also from Ignatius.com

 

[PJR]

Would the video be good for 7th and 8th graders? I am always looking at visual stuff to mix it up a bit.

I haven’t had a chance to read the book yet, what did you think of it?

Thanks, Paula

puzzleannie:

a terrific video that answers your precise question is A Walk Through the Mass by bishop Wuerl, available through Ignatius press. The best book on the Mass I can suggest is by Joseph Ratzinger, the Spirit of the Liturgy, also from Ignatius.com

 

[awalt]

Another excellent resource is The Lamb’s Supper: The Mass as Heaven on Earth by Scott Hahn. Excellent book and a pretty easy read!

 

[mass4life]

During the Mass, people join with angels in worshipping and reconciling ourselves (people, not the angels) with the Almighty God. This requires a Sacrifice. It used to be lambs and goats, now it is the Lamb, Jesus Christ. Christ is re-presented to God in every Mass ever said, as THE acceptable sacrifice to atone for the sins of the human race. We also offer to God our other sacrifices and offerings of the week, our work, prayers, life, tasks small and large. But only Jesus is enough to atone for our wrongdoings.