The Bible Project

SgCatholic · Jul 10, 2017

Mario said: ↑

Lev 17: 11 'For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls...

If we draw a picture of an OT sacrifice and another of the perfect sacrifice of the Cross re-presented at Holy Mass, a significant difference appears.

Take what the clip calls OT fellowship offerings (Lev 7), or as most Catholic translations say, communion offerings. In such situations, an animal is slain and its blood is drained; the blood is splashed on the altar. What remains is a carcass without blood; a portion is burned on the altar offered in thanksgiving to God, a portion given to the priests to eat, and the rest eaten by those who brought the offering. So the Israelites bring the offering, the priest offers it, and then it is shared. It should be noted that unleavened cakes of bread are included in such an offering and also shared. Does anything sound familiar?

Now, in the once-and-for-all Sacrifice of the Cross, the Victim who is slain and the Priest who offers, are the same: Jesus Christ. It is the living Jesus who presents His Blood before the Father in Heaven:

Hebrews 12:11 But Christ came as High Priest of the good things to come, with the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. 12 Not with the blood of goats and calves, but with His own blood He entered the Most Holy Place once for all, having obtained eternal redemption.

The blood of Jesus no longer needs to be sacrificed and outpoured; it was done once and for all time, and it was done once and for all persons. In addition, since our Victim/Priest is the Living One offering His Blood to us to be drunk at Holy Mass, He freely shares His Lifeblood. We are not shedding His Lifeblood anew, nor taking the life of the flesh away.

Thus in the New Covenant, the High Priest, Jesus offers the perfect communion/fellowship offering in the Holy Mass. But in this perfect offering we can now partake of both His Flesh and Blood unto eternal life. And notice that the Holy Communion retains the unleavened bread from the OT sacrifice as well. Alleluia!

Is God great or what?! This is why everyone who attends Holy Mass should do so with great fear and trembling, yet with joy!!!

Safe in the Barque of Peter!
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Amen!

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