Tearing of the veil - a Catholic perspective

[CompSciGuy]

I was raised Evangelical Protestant and we always interpreted the “tearing of the veil” in the temple that took place after Jesus’ death on the cross as the symbol that God is now directly accessible to us without the need of an intermediary, like it was in the Old Covenant, when only the priest could go behind the veil. I was wondering what is the Catholic interpretation of this tearing of the veil, since we still obviously believe in a priesthood that is necessary to provide us with sacraments which we cannot provide ourselves? What does the tearing of the veil mean for us?

 

[Little_One0307]

I read this and was interested in answering it. However it is late at night, and I will answer this tomorrow when I am more alert.

God bless.

 

[Edmundus1581]

This question is too difficult for me to give you the Catholic answer, but I can suggest an objection to the the Protestant interpretation you received. Most, if not all, evangelical denominations do have some sort of ordained ministry, particularly for consecrating Holy Communion, and also for performing marriages and baptisms, and for preaching and for authority in the church. If the tearing of the veil means that we don’t need Catholic priests, then it would also mean that we don’t need Protestant ordained ministers.

 

[marlo]

I always viewed that the tearing of the veil means that the Holy of Holies is no more, that means that the old ritual of sacrificing lambs for the forgiveness of sin cannot be done to the temple anymore, but it its now done in the Mass, In short, we are the new Israel.

I was raised Evangelical Protestant and we always interpreted the “tearing of the veil” in the temple that took place after Jesus’ death on the cross as the symbol that God is now directly accessible to us without the need of an intermediary, like it was in the Old Covenant, when only the priest could go behind the veil. I was wondering what is the Catholic interpretation of this tearing of the veil, since we still obviously believe in a priesthood that is necessary to provide us with sacraments which we cannot provide ourselves? What does the tearing of the veil mean for us?

 

[Spencerian]

You may see this older thread on this question for help, as well as this one interpretation.

To summarize, the popular interpretation among theologians is that the tearing of the veil (of which there are two), is emphasis that the Old Covenant’s work is complete. God is no longer found explicitly behind the veil–He is now present through a new medium: the Eucharist, where the Sacrifice of the Lamb of God exists at that moment.

 

[TimothyH]

The tearing of the veil was just the start. Remember that the temple was destroyed entirely in 70 AD.

Remember that the temple was where God dwelt on earth with men. With the advent of Christ, God dwelt bodily with men. Christ is the new temple.

To me, the tearing of the veil is Eucharistic. We no longer need the temple, which was a shadow, a prefigurement of Christ, who is the fulfillment of the old temple. With Christ’s passion and death, and the subsequent the tearing of the veil, we have direct access to God in his new temple, Christ’s body, blood, soul and divinity in the Eucharist.

-Tim-