REPOST: The Most Holy Sacrifice of the Mass: Part 1

WHAT THIS SACRAMENT IS CALLED

Before we begin studying the Mass, we need to understand just what the Mass is. The word 'Mass' is actually a part of a longer name: "The Most Holy Sacrifice of the Mass." Other names for the sacrament are: The Eucharist, the Lord's Supper, the Holy and Divine Liturgy, Holy Communion and the Memorial of the Lord's Passion and Resurrection. Each of these names is correct and yet each highlights a particular aspect of the sacrament (Catechism of the Catholic Church, ¶1328 - 1332).

 

THE MASS IS A SACRIFICE

It seems that "The Most Holy Sacrifice of the Mass" best describes this sacrament. If we break down this title, we can better understand this sacrament. The words 'The Most Holy' give us insight into the importance of the Mass. The Catechism states: the Eucharist is "the source and summit of the Christian life" (CCC ¶1324). When we use the term Eucharist here, we are referring to the actual consecrated bread and wine that are the Body and Blood of Christ himself and not to the name of the sacrament. Everything in our Catholic faith is oriented toward the Eucharist. Everything in our faith flows from the Eucharist.

 

The most important word in this title, however, is the word 'sacrifice.' The Mass cannot be understood whatsoever without realizing that it is a Sacrifice. This is not a symbolic sacrifice. It is not simply a reminder of something long ago. At Mass we participate in and are a part of a true sacrifice, very real and very present here and now!!! It is a true and present sacrifice because Jesus commanded that His bloody sacrifice on the Cross be renewed daily by an unbloody sacrifice of His Body and Blood in the We are not re-sacrificing Christ at the Mass however. Christ died once for all. We are making that sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the Cross present here and now in the Most Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

 

If we begin to understand that the Mass is a real and true sacrifice that makes present the one Sacrifice of the Cross, we begin to see that the Mass is not simply another event in our day or just one of the many activities of the Church. Rather, the Mass renews that moment in time when Jesus Christ sacrificed himself on the cross, bringing us freedom, salvation and delivering us from damnation. Because the Mass makes that one, complete, ultimate Sacrifice of Christ present today, it is easy to understand why it is "the source and summit of our Christian life."

posted by: crossman at 22:11 | link | comments |
catechism 101