The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass

The Church teaches that the sacrifice of the Cross and the sacrifice of the Mass are the same single sacrifice. Only the manner of offering is different.

• 1. On the Cross (A Bloody Sacrifice)

  On Calvary, Jesus physically suffered, shed His blood, and died. This was a "bloody" sacrifice that happened once in history, for all time. It was the perfect act that saved us from our sins.

• 2. On the Altar (An Unbloody Sacrifice)

  In the Mass, this one sacrifice is made present in an "unbloody" way. Christ does not suffer or die again; He is now risen and glorious. The Mass re-presents (makes present) His one death so that every generation can receive its grace.

  The double consecration, where the priest blesses the bread and wine separately ("This is my Body... This is my Blood"), is the sacramental sign that shows this separation of His body and blood, which happened physically on the Cross.

How can a past event be made present? The key is what Jesus said at the Last Supper: "Do this in memory of me."

In our modern world, "memory" just means thinking about the past. But in the ancient Jewish tradition, a "memorial" (called anamnesis) was something much more powerful. It was a liturgical act that made a past saving event present and real again.

The best example is the Jewish Passover. When families celebrate the Seder, they are not just remembering the Exodus from Egypt; they believe they are participating in it.

When Jesus, at the Last Supper, spoke those words, He was giving His apostles (and their successors, the priests) the power to make His saving sacrifice present for all time. The Last Supper was the start of the sacrifice, which was completed on the Cross. The Mass is the memorial that makes it all present again.

A true sacrifice requires a real victim. If the Mass is truly the same sacrifice as Calvary, then the same victim (Jesus Christ) must be truly present.

This is why the Catholic belief in the Real Presence is so important. When the priest speaks the words of consecration given by Jesus, the bread and wine are no longer bread and wine. Through a miracle called Transubstantiation, they become the real Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ.

The "substance" (the deep-down reality) changes completely, even though the "appearances" (like taste, colour, and texture) stay the same.

Because the real Victim is present on the altar, the priest can offer Him to the Father, just as Jesus offered Himself on the Cross.

Jesus' priesthood did not end when He ascended into heaven. He is our "eternal High Priest" who is always presenting His one, perfect sacrifice to God the Father in the heavenly sanctuary. The Book of Revelation describes this as the "Lamb standing as though slain."

The Mass on earth is not a separate event. It is our sacramental, visible participation in that one, eternal, heavenly offering.

The priest at the altar is Christ's human instrument, acting "in the person of Christ the Head." But the true priest at every Mass is Jesus Christ Himself, uniting our worship on earth with the perfect worship of heaven.

The Mass is not something we just watch. We are called to be "active participants." This is shown perfectly when the priest turns to the people and says:

"Pray, brethren (brothers and sisters), that my sacrifice and yours may be acceptable to God, the almighty Father."

This phrase shows our two roles:

• "My sacrifice"

  This refers to the priest's unique role. Acting in the person of Christ, he consecrates the Eucharist and offers the one, perfect sacrifice.

• "Your sacrifice"

  This refers to our "royal priesthood" as baptized Catholics. We are not just spectators; we are co-offerers. We are called to consciously unite our own "living sacrifices" (our prayers, work, joys, and sufferings) with the perfect sacrifice of Jesus on the altar. Our small offerings, when joined to His, become powerful and holy.