THE SACRIFICE
AT THE MASS ON THE CROSS
v. We adore Thee O, Christ, and we praise Thee.
R. Because by Thy holy cross Thou has redeemed the world.
CHAPTERS
I- INTRODUCTION MASS
III- THE ESSENCE OF THE MASS
V- THE FRUITS OF THE MASS
VII-THE LITURGY OF THE MASS
III- THE ESSENCE OF THE MASS
V- THE FRUITS OF THE MASS
VII-THE LITURGY OF THE MASS
II - THE EXISTENCE OF THE SACRIFICE OF THE MASS
IV- THE MINISTER OF THE SACRIFICE OF THE MASS
VI- THE HISTORY OF THE MASS
VIII- SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION
IV- THE MINISTER OF THE SACRIFICE OF THE MASS
VI- THE HISTORY OF THE MASS
VIII- SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION
1. THE MASS AS SACRIFICE
Since sacrifice is the essential rite of any religion (d. supra, pp. 186 ff.), the true religion instituted by Jesus Christ must possess just such a liturgical homage as its basic act of religion-and there is none such in God's Church, nor ever has been, except the Mass. For the sacrifice of the Cross, permanent as to its effects, was nevertheless accomplished at a particular moment of time, and Christ dies no more. To the eyes off faith, moreover, it is evident that the Mass fulfills all of the qualities of a true sacrifice Mass
1) It is the offering of a sense-perceptible thing: under the sensible appearance of bread
and wine Christ's true body and true blood are offered to God the Father.
2) It was legitimately instituted and is effected by a legitimate minister. Christ himself
instituted this sacrifice at the Last Supper and founded a new priesthood whose essence would be found precisely in its relationship to the Eucharist. The successors of the apostles by valid ordination receive a participation of Christ's own priestly power in virtue of which they act for him in offering this sacrifice to God.
3) It is accomplished by the immolation of the victim: through the power of the words of
consecration, Christ is made present on the altar in the state of sacrificial victim, the words themselves effecting the separate presence of his body under the species of bread, his blood under the species of wine.
and wine Christ's true body and true blood are offered to God the Father.
2) It was legitimately instituted and is effected by a legitimate minister. Christ himself
instituted this sacrifice at the Last Supper and founded a new priesthood whose essence would be found precisely in its relationship to the Eucharist. The successors of the apostles by valid ordination receive a participation of Christ's own priestly power in virtue of which they act for him in offering this sacrifice to God.
3) It is accomplished by the immolation of the victim: through the power of the words of
consecration, Christ is made present on the altar in the state of sacrificial victim, the words themselves effecting the separate presence of his body under the species of bread, his blood under the species of wine.
2. THE MASS AND CALVARY
The Mass is essentially the same sacrifice as the sacrifice of Calvary. It is a memorial of Christ's passion, its commemoration and representation, not an innovation. "In the divine sacrifice that is offered in the Mass, the same Christ who offered himself once in a bloody manner on the altar of the cross is present and is offered in an unbloody manner .... For it is one and the same victim: he who now makes the offering through the ministry of priests and he who then offered himself on the cross; the only difference is in the manner of offering. The benefits of this oblation (i.e., the bloody one) are received in abundance through this unbloody oblation. By no means, then, does the sacrifice of the Mass detract from the sacrifice of the cross." (3)read...