LESSON 30
THE HOLY SACRIFICE OF THE MASS
From the rising of the sun even to the going down, My name is great among the Gentiles; and in every place there is a sacrifice, and there is offered to My name a clean oblation. For my name is great among the Gentiles, saith the Lord of Hosts."
Malachias 1:11
DIRECTIONS TO THE STUDENT
The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is the great act of Christian worship. In
order to understand the Mass, you must understand what a sacrifice is.
Once you know the meaning of sacrifice and the part it plays in man's life,
you will begin to love the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass and realize why it is
so pleasing to God.
A. WHAT IS A SACRIFICE?
When you want to show your love for somebody, what do you do? You
give a gift. When you want to show somebody how sorry you are for
having offended him, what do you do? You give him a gift. When you
want to express your gratitude for a favor, we give Him a gift. Sacrifice is
simply the offering of a gift to God. It is the offering of a gift to God by a
priest and the destruction of the gift; the purpose of sacrifice is to show
our total dependence on God. Sacrifice then, is essentially the giving of a
gift to God.
Abel's gift was a Lamb. He wanted to thank God for his prosperity. Abel
killed the Iamb to make sure that no human could use it, for he had
already given it to God in sacrifice. Noah's gift to God was a steer to
thank God for saving him and his family from the deluge. Noah and Abel
offered these animals to God to show their total dependence upon God
and they destroyed the gifts so that no human being could use them. They
had already given them to God.
B. RELIGIONS HAVE ALWAYS HAD PRIESTS AND SACRIFICE
Except for the Protestant religions of the last few hundred years every
religion true or false, has offered sacrifice to God. The very idea of
sacrifice is ingrained in the human mind; a man feels that he must offer of
his best goods to God to thank Him, to adore Him, to ask His pardon,
and to seek His favor. Because men have always looked upon the offering
of sacrifice as so important in their lives, certain men have been
designated to offer such sacrifices. These men are called priests. A priest
is a man who offers sacrifice to God for man. In the Old Testament a
whole book of the Bible, Leviticus, has to do with the Jewish sacrifices
and the Jewish priesthood, The Jewish priest offered to God sheep, oxen,
cattle, doves, and sometimes even grain from the field.
C. THE MASS IS A PERFECT SACRIFICE BECAUSE IN THE
MASS A PERFECT GIFT IS OFFERED
St. Paul tells us that: 'It is impossible that with the blood of oxen and
goats sin should be taken away." (Hebrews 10:4) These ancient sacrifices
of animals did not sufficiently express man's sorrow, his love or his
gratitude Christ arranged His religion so that all of us could offer up the
most perfect sacrifice. In the Catholic Church we actually offer up Jesus
Christ Himself -not goats, oxen, or lambs.
D. CHRIST OFFERED THE PERFECT SACRIFICE
Christ offered the perfect gift to God on the cross: He offered Himself.
Because Christ is God, this was the most perfect sacrifice that could be
offered.
Christ did the same thing at the Last Supper too. He offered Himself, a
perfect gift, a perfect sacrifice, to Almighty God. The gift He offered was
His own Body and Blood. Jesus Christ Himself was the priest. The
destruction of the gift was the separate consecration of the bread and
wine into His Body and Blood. This was the first Mass ever offered. It
was offered by the Son of God Himself. He offered the same gift
(Himself) that He offered on the cross. The sacrifice at the Last Supper
was the same as that of the cross except that there were no blood and
tears. This was an unbloody sacrifice.
E. JESUS GAVE THE POWER OF SAYING MASS TO THE
TWELVE APOSTLES
Christ told the Apostles to offer the Sacrifice of the Mass when he said:
"Do this in commemoration of Me." The Apostles passed the power on
to other bishops and priests, who, in turn have passed this power to
others in the Catholic Church for over 1900 years. We read in the Bible of
the Apostles and their successors saying Mass: I Cor 10:16, I Cor 10:21;
I Cor 11 :27; Acts2:41 ; Acts 20:7,. Luke 24:30; Acts 13:1.
F. HOW DO YOU KNOW WHEN THE SACRIFICE HAS TAKEN
PLACE IN THE MASS?
All the priest would really have to do to say Mass would be to say the
words of consecration: "This is My Body. This is My Blood," over the
bread and wine. The Church has added many beautiful prayers to this
ceremony; many of the prayers are taken from the Bible. If there were a
persecution and the priests were in hiding, they would not have to say all
the prayers of the Mass because these added prayers are not really
required to have the sacrifice. When the priest says, "This is My Body,
This is My Blood," there is no more bread and wine upon the altar; it is
now the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ.
The priest bends over the bread and says the words of consecration; he
genuflects, raises Our Lord for your adoration, and genuflects again.
Then he bends over the chalice and says the words of consecration and
elevates the chalice for your adoration while the altar boy rings the bell for
the third time at Mass. This part of the Mass is called the Consecration.
G. MASS IS THE MOST PERFECT PRAYER YOU CAN OFFER
Mass is the most perfect prayer you can offer because it is not just your
own prayer; it is a prayer of the most perfect Person on earth, Jesus
Christ. It is the prayer of God, Jesus Christ. offering Himself to God for
you. Your feelings are not important. It is not necessary to "enjoy" Mass.
You are in the church to offer a sacrifice to God; and through the Mass
the most perfect sacrifice is offered to God.
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