(Plain Text Version)
At the Last Supper, the climax of Christ’s earthly ministry began. He began the offering of His death for our salvation by changing bread and wine into His Body and Blood. The next day, He submitted to the violence of His enemies and died. Today, He continues to make this offering every time the Holy Mass is celebrated.
The Mass and the Cross
When Christ died on the Cross, He merited the graces needed for the redemption of the world. We must willingly receive these graces and cooperate with them; otherwise we receive no benefit. Christ does not die at the Mass. He died only once, but He offers his death many times. Consider how a firefighter risks his or her life every time a burning building is entered. This could be considered an offering of one’s life for the good of others. It can happen many times, but actual death can happen only once.
In the Mass, Christ continues the offering of His death, but without violence. Although we did not live during Christ’s visible time on earth, we are able to be present at the sacrifice which opened the gates of Heaven for us!
Benefits of the Mass
At the Mass, the damage from our sins are dealt with in several ways:
1. Reparation for our lack of love of God,
2. Forgiveness of repented venial sins,
3. Relief of some of the punishment due for our sins.
4. Relief of some of the punishment of the souls in purgatory.
Also, we receive graces to know God’s will and to carry it out.
Vocabulary
Sacrifice: The offering of something precious to God because He is superior to us.
Mass: The re-presentation of the sacrifice of Christ on the Cross in an unbloody manner.
Redemption: To free or buy back. By His sacrifice, Christ freed us from bondage to the Devil and paid our debt of punishment.
Reparation: A payment to restore something which was taken unjustly.
Repentance: Sorrow for having offended God, with a resolve not to repeat the offense.
Many thanks to:
Fr. John A. Hardon, S.J., Pocket Catholic Catechism, 1989, Doubleday
Fr. John A. Hardon, S.J., Modern Catholic Dictionary, 2001, Eternal Life
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