Sacrifice of the Mass

[Montie_Claunch]

I am just curious. I know it has something to do with the eucharist and the origninal sacrifice of calvery but, I do not quite understand the whole thing completly. How is it a sacrifice? why is it a sacrifice? and what is its signifigance to those particapating?

 

[jesusluv]

The way I understand it is that a bread and wine sacrifice is a sacrifice of thanksgiving according to the OT. That is exactly why Jesus chose that for us to continue with because he was taking the place of animal sacrifice once for all.

So, Christ instituted a sacrifice of thanksgiving for us to do in thanks for how grateful we are he died on the cross. Paul says that as often as we do this, “we proclaim His death until He comes”. We are re-presenting the sacrifice he made on the cross.

You need to go to www.ewtn.com then go the audio library and look up Scott Hahn’s Lamb Series and he will explain this front and back.

 

[awalt]

It’s also a book

The sacrifice is more one of atonement as I recall from the book. It comes from the imperfect sacrifieces of the OT. The book explains it really well!

 

[RobNY]

Montie Claunch:

I am just curious. I know it has something to do with the eucharist and the origninal sacrifice of calvery but, I do not quite understand the whole thing completly. How is it a sacrifice? why is it a sacrifice? and what is its signifigance to those particapating?

To be honest, I learn by reading, especially debates and such. On Matt’s apologetics page, he has a rather lengthy response to typical objections to the Eucharist as a Sacrifice, and I found it rather enlightening. Read it here. Perhaps it will help you too. Please read it. (It’s really parts III onward that get into it, but if you read I, and maybe skim II you’ll be fine to move into III).

-Rob

 

[gryskull]

Montie Claunch:

I am just curious. I know it has something to do with the eucharist and the origninal sacrifice of calvery but, I do not quite understand the whole thing completly. How is it a sacrifice? why is it a sacrifice? and what is its signifigance to those particapating?

As the CCC says:

[1364](javascriptpenWindow(‘cr/1364.htm’) In the New Testament, the memorial takes on new meaning. When the Church celebrates the Eucharist, she commemorates Christ’s Passover, and it is made present the sacrifice Christ offered once for all on the cross remains ever present.185 "As often as the sacrifice of the Cross by which ‘Christ our Pasch has been sacrificed’ is celebrated on the altar, the work of our redemption is carried out."186

[1365](javascriptpenWindow(‘cr/1365.htm’) Because it is the memorial of Christ’s Passover, the Eucharist is also a sacrifice. The sacrificial character of the Eucharist is manifested in the very words of institution: “This is my body which is given for you” and "This cup which is poured out for you is the New Covenant in my blood."187 In the Eucharist Christ gives us the very body which he gave up for us on the cross, the very blood which he "poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins."188

[1366](javascriptpenWindow(‘cr/1366.htm’) The Eucharist is thus a sacrifice because it *re-presents *(makes present) the sacrifice of the cross, because it is its *memorial *and because it *applies *its fruit:

[Christ], our Lord and God, was once and for all to offer himself to God the Father by his death on the altar of the cross, to accomplish there an everlasting redemption. But because his priesthood was not to end with his death, at the Last Supper “on the night when he was betrayed,” [he wanted] to leave to his beloved spouse the Church a visible sacrifice (as the nature of man demands) by which the bloody sacrifice which he was to accomplish once for all on the cross would be re-presented, its memory perpetuated until the end of the world, and its salutary power be applied to the forgiveness of the sins we daily commit.189I think the CCC explains it well. The book of Dr. Scott Hahn is really nice. It explains well the correlation between the OT and the NT sacrifice. The earthly sacrifice and the heavenly sacrifice. The true presence of Christ is made possible sacramentally through the words of consecration. I’ve highlighted the word sacramentally because although the true presence of Christ is there the accidents of the matter is still in the form of bread and wine. Hope this helps.

 

[Shiann]

In addition, we as the Church on Earth, offer our sins and sufferings to God during this sacrifice.

It takes great concentration, and great fortitude to actually GIVE UP our sins and sufferings. It’s hard to let go of our family’s financial struggles- and give our suffering to God. It’s hard to really let go of the hurt that relative continues to cause- and give it to God.

It’s hard to really let go of that tendency toward gossip or pride, or gluttony- but this is what God wants us to offer at the Table where he offers us His Son to take these things from us for all eternity.

This is why it wouldn’t make sense for those who have mortal sin- to consume the Eucharist. They have not let go of the worst sin(s), and have not given it to God through the Sacrament of Confession.