Why does the Church offer Mass daily when Jews had passover only once a year?

[anninarkansas]

A woman in RCIA wants to know why the Catholic Church offers Mass daily when the Jews had Passover only once a year and Jesus was a Jew who began the “Last Supper” during Passover. Why did it change?

 

[Fr.Vincent_Serpa]

Hi,

First of all, the Passover was merely a sign of the mercy God was to lavish on all people by the death of His son on Calvary. The redemption that Jesus wrought was complete. It needn’t happen again. The fact that we have Mass weekly and even daily, does not contradict this. The Mass is the SAME sacrifice that was offered on Good Friday which is made available to us through the Eucharist.

The moment in which Jesus died transcends time and covers all the people who ever lived and who will live. But it also remains in time as the Eucharist. When we see the body and blood of our Savior under the appearance of bread and wine separate from each other on the altar, we acknowledge His death on our behalf and we worship Him.

So the Passover was an imperfect sign of what was to come on Calvary. The Mass is the perfect reality of Calvary and far surpasses it. It remains with us by His design as the Eucharist. See: catholic.com/library/Institution_of_the_Mass.asp

Fr. Vincent Serpa, O.P.