Christ Offers Himself for Us in Mass

Jesus Christ, the only begotten Son of the Father, the Beloved, carries His Cross on His Shoulders up to Calvary, where He offers Himself as a Sacrifice of infinite value for all men. In the book of Genesis, we read that Isaac was made to carry the wood for the holocaust; he is a figure of Christ who was made to carry His Cross on His Shoulders. He was crucified onto the cross he carried as both priest and victim. A Priest because he offered the Father his obedience, and a victim, because he died! Today, ordained priests have the task of carrying the wood for the sacrifice.

This priestly ministry of Jesus is made present in every celebration of the Eucharist. In the celebration of Mass and through the ministry of the priest, Jesus offers to his Father the perfect worship, he thus brings about the sanctification of his people. It is the highest sacrifice acceptable to the Father. Nothing can ever rival this sacrifice in its perfection; as we read in the first letter of Peter “The price of (our) redemption was not something of fleeting value like gold or silver, but the costly shedding of the blood of Christ, the lamb without blemish or defect” (1Peter:18-19).

Mass, therefore, has an infinite, immense value beyond our understanding. Though there is a priest we see at the altar when Mass is celebrated, Christ remains the principal priest; the victim truly offered and Sacramentally immolated (offered as a sacrifice). He offers himself.

The Mass is the best means we have, to render God the highest form of worship, thank Him for all His blessings, obtain reparation for all our sins, obtain all the blessings we desire, release souls from purgatory and shorten our own time there, preserve us from all dangers to soul and body, be consoled at the hour of death, intercede for us at the Judgment Seat of God and to bring down God's blessings.

Reader, you see how important Mass is? Therefore, during Mass we should neither talk to each other, walk up and down, nor allow our children to play about. Also do you see how important Priests are? Sr. Mother Tereza said, "Without Priests we cannot receive Jesus'. Let us meditate now in the Presence of God on how well we pray for Priests, how we treat them, how we Care for them, how Grateful we ought to be to them for having responded positively to our Lord's Call, how to Help them persevere and be Saints.

Tue 31, Jul 2018 08:07 am