What does it mean "Let us pray brothers and sisters..."

[KathieAnn]

Can someone tell me what exactly the priest means in mass when he says “Let us pray, brothers and sisters, that our sacrifice may be acceptable to God…” A protestant (actually an ex-priest) claims that there is no way this prayer can be prayed since God already accepted the sacrifice of Christ. I never thought about it that way and don’t know how to answer this type of objection. In what vein is this prayer prayed - could it mean our sacrifice of gifts (the money) ?? The priest could not mean that we should hope that God would accept the sacrifice of His Son - what exactly does this mean?

Thanks.

 

[DeniseTOCarm]

Every time we celebrate the Holy sacrifice of the Mass we are present at Calvary, at the foot of the cross. It is the same sacrifice.

 

[drforjc]

I posed a similar question to the EWTN Q&A some time ago and received the response that the sentence in question refers to the offering of the gifts, “OUR sacrifice,” not “HIS sacrifice,” which is what the gifts will become at the consecration.

 

[Ham1]

When we participate in Mass, we offer up our sacrifices and ourselves along with the ultimate sacrifice on the Altar. We are praying that God finds acceptable the things that we offer up with His sacrifice.