Video above not working? • Click here to listen on YouTube Recorded Sunday, March 29, 2015 at Christ the Redeemer Catholic Church in Thibodaux, Louisiana.
Video above not working? • Click here to listen on YouTube
No. 1. In the Mass: + In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Where does that come from? Then the glory of the God of Israel moved off the cherub and went up to the threshold of the temple. He called to the man dressed in linen with the scribe’s case at his waist, and the Lord said to him: Pass through the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and mark an X on the foreheads of those who grieve and lament over all the abominations practiced within it. (Ezekiel 9:3-4)
No. 2. In the Mass: Amen.
Where does that come from? The specific Hebrew word ’amen appears to be derived from a related verb ‘aman,’ which means “he confirmed, supported, or upheld.” This verb is associated with the Hebrew word for truth (’emet), which carries the idea of certainty or dependability (i.e., that which is true is that which is certain or dependable). ’Amen itself is an interjection used to agree with, affirm, approve, or emphasize something else that has been said. When one says “amen” in response to a prayer, it serves as an affirmation of agreement with the content of the prayer (cf. 1st Corinthians 14:16)—in which case it is translated “So be it” (cf. Catechism of the Catholic Church no. 2856)—or as an expression of faith that God will hear and act on the prayer.
No. 3. In the Mass: And with your spirit.
Where does that come from? Refers to the priest’s standing “in the place of Christ” “It is Christ himself who is present to his Church as Head of his Body, Shepherd of his flock, high priest of the redemptive sacrifice, Teacher of Truth. This is what the Church means by saying that the priest, by virtue of the sacrament of Holy Orders, acts in persona Christi Capitis.” (Catechism of the Catholic Church no. no. 1548)
No. 4. In the Mass: I confess to almighty God and to you, my brothers and sisters, that I have greatly sinned, in my thoughts and in my words, in what I have done and in what I have failed to do (And, striking their breast, they say) through my fault, through my fault, through my most grievous fault (Then they continue) therefore I ask blessed Mary ever-Virgin, all the Angels and Saints, and you, my brothers and sisters, to pray for me to the Lord our God.
Where does that come from? He then addressed this parable to those who were convinced of their own righteousness and despised everyone else. “Two people went up to the temple area to pray; one was a Pharisee and the other was a tax collector. The Pharisee took up his position and spoke this prayer to himself, ‘O God, I thank you that I am not like the rest of humanity—greedy, dishonest, adulterous—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week, and I pay tithes on my whole income.’ But the tax collector stood off at a distance and would not even raise his eyes to heaven but beat his breast and prayed, ‘O God, be merciful to me a sinner.’ I tell you, the latter went home justified, not the former; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.” (Luke 18:10-14)
No. 5. In the Mass: Lord, have mercy (Lord, have mercy) Christ, have mercy (Christ, have mercy) Lord, have mercy (Lord, have mercy)
Where does that come from? As they left Jericho, a great crowd followed him. Two blind men were sitting by the roadside, and when they heard that Jesus was passing by, they cried out, “[Lord,] Son of David, have mercy on us!” The crowd warned them to be silent, but they called out all the more, “Lord, Son of David, have mercy on us!” Jesus stopped and called them and said, “What do you want me to do for you?” They answered him, “Lord, let our eyes be opened.” Moved with pity, Jesus touched their eyes. Immediately they received their sight, and followed him. (Matthew 20:29-34)
No. 6. In the Mass: Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace to people of good will ...
Where does that come from? Now there were shepherds in that region living in the fields and keeping the night watch over their flock. The angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were struck with great fear. The angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Messiah and Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger.” And there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying: “Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests.” (Luke 2:8-14)
Note: Prepares the shepherds to encounter God. Likewise, prepares us to encounter God.
No. 7. In the Mass: The Word of the Lord
Where does that come from? All flesh is like grass, and all its glory like the flower of the field; the grass withers, and the flower wilts; but the word of the Lord remains forever.(1st Peter 1:24-25)
No. 8. In the Mass: Thanks be to God
Where does that come from? Thanks be to God that, although you were once slaves of sin, you have become obedient from the heart to the pattern of teaching to which you were entrusted. (Romans 6:17)
No. 9. In the Mass: After this, the Deacon who is to proclaim the Gospel, bowing profoundly before the Priest, asks for the blessing, saying in a low voice: Your blessing, Father. The Priest says in a low voice: May the Lord be in your heart and on your lips, that you may proclaim his Gospel worthily and well, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, + and of the Holy Spirit. The Deacon signs himself with the Sign of the Cross and replies: Amen. If, however, a Deacon is not present, the Priest, bowing before the altar, says quietly: Cleanse my heart and my lips, almighty God, that I may worthily proclaim your holy Gospel.
Where does that come from? In the year King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord seated on a high and lofty throne, with the train of his garment filling the temple. Seraphim were stationed above; each of them had six wings: with two they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they hovered. One cried out to the other: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts! All the earth is filled with his glory!” At the sound of that cry, the frame of the door shook and the house was filled with smoke. Then I said, “Woe is me, I am doomed! For I am a man of unclean lips, living among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!” Then one of the seraphim flew to me, holding an ember which he had taken with tongs from the altar. He touched my mouth with it. “See,” he said, “now that this has touched your lips, your wickedness is removed, your sin purged.” Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? Who will go for us?” “Here I am,” I said; “send me!” (Isaiah 6:1-8)
No. 10. In the Mass: The Deacon, or the Priest, then proceeds to the ambo, accompanied, if appropriate, by ministers with incense and candles. ... and, at the same time, he makes the Sign of the Cross on the book and on his forehead, lips, and breast.
Where does that come from? “The Lord Jesus made the deaf hear and the dumb speak. May he soon touch your ears, N., to receive his word, and your mouth to proclaim his faith, to the praise and glory of God the Father.” (Rite of Baptism)
Note: The Gospel of Jesus Christ would be forever on our minds, on our lips, and foever in our hearts.
No. 11. In the Mass: The word homily (associated with the Greek word “kerygma”) means “Explanation.”
No. 12. In the Mass: The Roman Missal states: “It is desirable that the faithful express their participation by making an offering, bringing forward bread and wine for the celebration of the Eucharist and perhaps other gifts to relieve the needs of the Church and of the poor.”
Where does that come from? In the Old Testament that which you sacrificed represented your life. The bread and wine brought forward from the people represents the lives of the faithful. In other words: Pray my brothers and sisters that my sacrifice and yours might be acceptable to God the almighty Father.
No. 13. In the Mass: The Priest washes his hands, saying quietly: Wash me, O Lord, from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.
Where does that come from? The Lord told Moses: For ablutions you shall make a bronze basin with a bronze stand. Place it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and put water in it. Aaron and his sons shall use it in washing their hands and feet. When they are about to enter the tent of meeting, they must wash with water, lest they die. Likewise when they approach the altar to minister, to offer an oblation to the Lord, they must wash their hands and feet, lest they die. This shall be a perpetual statute for him and his descendants throughout their generations. (Exodus 30:17-21)
No. 14. In the Mass: Then the Priest begins the Eucharistic Prayer. Extending his hands, he says: The Lord be with you. The people reply: And with your Spirit. The Priest, raising his hands, continues: Lift up your hearts.
Where does that come from? Let us lift up our hearts as well as our hands toward God in heaven! (Lamentations 3:41) If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. Think of what is above, not of what is on earth. (Colossians 3:1-2)
No. 15. In the Mass: Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts. Heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.
Where does that come from? “I saw the Lord seated on a high and lofty throne, with the train of his garment filling the temple. Seraphim were stationed above; each of them had six wings: with two they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they hovered. One cried out to the other: ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts! All the earth is filled with his glory!’ At the sound of that cry, the frame of the door shook and the house was filled with smoke.” (Isaiah 6:1-4)
“After this I had a vision of an open door to heaven. At once I was caught up in spirit. A throne was there in heaven, and on the throne sat one whose appearance sparkled like jasper and carnelian. Around the throne was a halo as brilliant as an emerald. Surrounding the throne I saw twenty-four other thrones on which twenty-four elders sat, dressed in white garments and with gold crowns on their heads. In front of the throne was something that resembled a sea of glass like crystal. In the center and around the throne, there were four living creatures covered with eyes in front and in back. The four living creatures, each of them with six wings, were covered with eyes inside and out. Day and night they do not stop exclaiming: “Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God almighty, who was, and who is, and who is to come.” Whenever the living creatures give glory and honor and thanks to the one who sits on the throne, who lives forever and ever, the twenty-four elders fall down before the one who sits on the throne and worship him, who lives forever and ever. They exclaim: “Worthy are you, Lord our God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things; because of your will they came to be and were created.” (Revelation 4:1-11)
Where does that come from? Incense at the Mass is an imitation of the the worship of heaven. Also, we kneel at this part of the Mass because that is what they are doing in heaven.
No. 16. In the Mass: At the time he was betrayed and entered willingly into his Passion, he took bread and, giving thanks, broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying: take this, all of you, and eat of it, for this is my body, which will be given up for you.
Where does that come from? Then he took the bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which will be given for you; do this in memory of me.” (Luke 22:19)
In the Mass: In a similar way, when supper was ended, he took the chalice and, once more giving thanks, he gave it to his disciples, saying: take this, all of you, and drink from it, for this is the chalice of my blood, the Blood of the new and eternal covenant, which will be poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this in memory of me.
Were does that come from? Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed on behalf of many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, from now on I shall not drink this fruit of the vine until the day when I drink it with you new in the kingdom of my Father.” Then, after singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. (Matthew 26:27-30)
No. 17. In the Mass: Then he takes the host, breaks it over the paten, and places a small piece in the chalice, saying quietly: May this mingling of the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ bring eternal life to us who receive it.
Why? “The priest breaks the Eucharistic Bread, assisted, if the case calls for it, by the deacon or a concelebrant. Christ’s gesture of breaking bread at the Last Supper, which gave the entire Eucharistic Action its name in apostolic times, signifies that the many faithful are made one body (1st Corinthians 10:17) by receiving Communion from the one Bread of Life which is Christ, who died and rose for the salvation of the world. The fraction or breaking of bread is begun after the sign of peace and is carried out with proper reverence, though it should not be unnecessarily prolonged, nor should it be accorded undue importance. This rite is reserved to the priest and the deacon. The priest breaks the Bread and puts a piece of the host into the chalice to signify the unity of the Body and Blood of the Lord in the work of salvation, namely, of the living and glorious Body of Jesus Christ.” The General Instruction of the Roman Missal, no. 83
No. 18. In the Mass: The Priest genuflects, takes the host and, holding it slightly raised above the paten or above the chalice, while facing the people, says aloud: Behold the Lamb of God, behold him who takes away the sins of the world. Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb.
Where does that come from? The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world. (John 1:29) And when I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw everyone to myself. (John 12:32)
No. 19. In the Mass: Then the Deacon, or the Priest himself, with hands joined and facing the people, says: Go forth, the Mass is ended. or Go and announce the Gospel of the Lord. or o in peace, glorifying the Lord by your life. or Go in peace.
Where does that come from? The ending to the Mass in Latin: “Ite, missa est” Root of the word “mission.”
Jesus Has Power Over the Natural Elements
John 6:1-14 — Jesus multiplies the loaves
John 6:16-24 — Jesus walks on the water
The Bread of Life Discourse
John 6:25-27 — the crowds want more bread
John 6:28-32 — Jesus’ bread will fulfill the Old Testament “type”
John 6:35-40 — I am the bread of life (1st emphatic declaration)
John 6:41-42 — The crowds understand his teaching and they “murmur” {לון luwn} for the 1st time
John 6:48-50 — I am the bread of life (2nd emphatic declaration)
John 6:51 — I am the bread of life (3rd emphatic declaration)
John 6:52 — The crowds understand his teaching and they “murmur” {לון luwn} for the 2nd time
John 6:53-54 — You must eat and drink the flesh and blood
John 6:55 — my flesh is real flesh, my blood is real blood
John 6:60 — The crowds understand his teaching and they acknowledge that it is a hard teaching to grasp
John 6:61 — Jesus refuses to apologize for the teaching
John 6:66 — The crowds understand his teaching and that is why they leave
John 6:77 — Jesus does not stop them from leaving
Four Biblical Arguments Proving True Presence
1. Old Testament “types” can not be greater than their New Testament fulfillments
2. The crowds understood what Jesus was teaching (vss. 41,52, and 60), that’s why they left (vs. 66)
3. Jesus as a good Rabbi would never leave a teaching “misunderstood”; however, he lets them go ... he does “clarify” the teaching
4. Acts 2:42 — The very first Christian converts celebrated Mass with the true presence
Substance & Accidents
Substance > that which makes something what it is
Accidents > the external properties
Transubstantiation
Transubstantiation is the change whereby the bread and the wine used in the sacrament of the Eucharist become, not merely as by a sign or a figure, but also in actual reality the body and blood of Christ. The Catholic Church teaches that the substance or reality of the bread is changed into that of the body of Christ and the substance of the wine into that of his blood, while all that is accessible to the senses (the outward appearances - species) remains unchanged. What remains unaltered is also referred to as the “accidents” of the bread and wine, but this term is not used in the official definition of the doctrine by the Council of Trent. The manner in which the change occurs, the Catholic Church teaches, is a mystery: “The signs of bread and wine become, in a way surpassing understanding, the Body and Blood of Christ.”
Recorded Sunday, March 22, 2015 at Christ the Redeemer Catholic Church in Thibodaux, Louisiana.
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No. 1. “Because it is the memorial of Christ’s Passover, the Eucharist is also a sacrifice. The sacrificial character of the Eucharist is manifested in the very words of institution: “This is my body which is given for you” and “This cup which is poured out for you is the New Covenant in my blood.” In the Eucharist Christ gives us the very body which he gave up for us on the cross, the very blood which he “poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” — Catechism of the Catholic Church no. 1365
No. 2. “The Eucharist is the memorial of Christ’s Passover, the making present and the sacramental offering of his unique sacrifice, in the liturgy of the Church which is his Body. In all the Eucharistic Prayers we find after the words of institution a prayer called the anamnesis or memorial.” — Catechism of the Catholic Church no. 1362
No. 3. The Passover now marks time. “This month will stand at the head of your calendar; you will reckon it the first month of the year.” (vs. 2)
No. 4. The insistence on the details reveals how important this is to God. “Tell the whole community of Israel: On the tenth of this month every family must procure for itself a lamb, one apiece for each household. If a household is too small for a lamb ...” (vss. 3 onward)
No. 5. The sacrifice is connected to a meal. “This is how you are to eat it ...” (vs. 11)
No. 6. The event and meal are to be remembered forever; memorialized forever. “This day will be a day of remembrance for you, which your future generations will celebrate with pilgrimage to the Lord; you will celebrate it as a statute forever” (vs. 14)
No. 7. “I’m serious about the Passover meal … do it … do it every year … and don’t mess with it.” (God) “for anyone, a resident alien or a native, who eats leavened food will be cut off from the community of Israel. You shall eat nothing leavened; wherever you dwell you may eat only unleavened bread. … You will keep this practice forever as a statute for yourselves and your descendants. Thus, when you have entered the land which the Lord will give you as he promised, you must observe this rite” (vs. 25)
No. 8. The passover event
> “Your lamb must be a year-old male and without blemish”
> “You shall not break any of its bones”
> “Blood of the lamb” ... will ‘set them free’
> The sacrifice is not complete until the sacrifice is consumed. You must eat the flesh of the lamb
No. 9. At the time of Jesus > lambs had to be sacrificed in the Temple. “In the original Passover, the lambs were sacrificed and eaten in the homes of the Israelites in Egypt. At the time of Jesus, the lambs had to be sacrificed in the Temple and eaten in the city of Jerusalem. Moreover, in the original Passover, every Israelite father was able to offer sacrifice on behalf of his family. But at the time of Jesus, only the Levitical priests could pour out the blood of the lambs on the altar. This restriction of the Passover sacrifice to the Jerusalem Temple is laid down by God in the Torah: ‘You may not offer the Passover sacrifice within any of your towns which the Lord your God gives you; but at the place which the Lord your God will choose, to make his name dwell in it, there you shall offer the Passover sacrifice, in the evening at the going down of the sun, at the time you came out of Egypt. And you shall boil it and eat it at the place which the Lord your God will choose. (Deuteronomy 16:5-7)” — Brant Pitre, Ph.D., Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist
No. 10. At the time of Jesus > because of the Temple ... Jews understood the Passover meal as a sacrifice. “First, it is clear that the Jewish Passover is not just a meal, but a ‘sacrifice’ (Hebrew zebah). It is “the sacrifice of the Lord’s Passover” (Exodus 12: 27; Deuteronomy 16: 5). Second, like every other blood sacrifice at the time of Jesus, the Passover lamb could only lawfully be offered in one place: the Temple in Jerusalem, where God had chosen to make his name dwell. This link between the Passover and the Temple is important to emphasize. If you were a Jew living at the time of Jesus, in order to keep the Passover feast, you could not simply go down to the local market and buy a lamb to be killed and eaten privately in your own home. You first had to take the lamb to the Temple in Jerusalem and give it to an ordained priest to sacrifice it. It is for this reason that during Passover the city of Jerusalem would be brimming with Jewish pilgrims coming to the Temple to offer sacrifice.” — Brant Pitre, Ph.D., Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist
No. 11. At the time of Jesus > 250,000 lambs ... that’s a lot of blood ... 2,000 years ago Jews understood the Passover meal as a sacrifice. “Even if somewhat exaggerated, this is a staggering figure: more than two hundred thousand lambs for some two million people! For the modern reader, who probably has never witnessed a single animal sacrifice, much less several thousand in one day, it is difficult to imagine just how much blood would have been poured out by the priests at Passover. But for ancient Jews, like Jesus and his disciples, who attended Passover every year of their adult lives, it would have been impossible to forget. No one living at the time of the Temple could have ever had any misconceptions about the fact that the first-century Passover was first a sacrifice and then a meal.” — Brant Pitre, Ph.D., Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist
No. 12. At the time of Jesus > the lambs were “crucified” “The second difference between the first exodus and the Passover at the time of Jesus has to do with the way the Passover lamb was sacrificed in the Temple. Fascinatingly, we have evidence that, in the first century A.D., the Passover lambs in the Temple were not only sacrificed; they were, so to speak, crucified. ... As the Israeli scholar Joseph Tabory has shown, according to the Mishnah, at the time when the Temple still stood, after the sacrifice of the lamb, the Jews would drive ‘thin smooth staves’ of wood through the shoulders of the lamb in order to hang it and skin it (Pesahim 5: 9). In addition to this first rod, they would also ‘thrust’ a ‘skewer of pomegranate wood’ through the Passover lamb ‘from its mouth to its buttocks’ (Pesahim 7: 1). ... This conclusion is supported by the writings of Saint Justin Martyr, a Christian living in the mid–second century A.D. In his dialogue with a Jewish rabbi named Trypho, Justin states: ‘For the lamb, which is roasted, is roasted and dressed up in the form of a cross. For one spit is transfixed right through from the lower parts up to the head, and one across the back, to which are attached the legs of the lamb.’” — Brant Pitre, Ph.D., Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist
No. 13. The Passover at the time of Jesus
5 days before ... go and look for the lamb. A one-year-old unblemished male lamb is chosen for the Passover by a member of the household. Jesus enters Jerusalem on Palm Sunday because that’s the day everyone is looking for the lamb!
Passover Night
A. Footwashing: As guests and family members entered the home to celebrate Passover, a servant or slave would often be there to wash their feet.
B. First hand-washing: Once all the guests arrive, they performed the ritual hand-washing that Jews, from antiquity, have done before every meal.
“The Passover meal (Seder) is structured around four cups of wine” — Ignatius Study Bible Commentary, Gospel of Luke
C. First cup: Cup of Thanksgiving — in gratitude for all of creation
> Accompanied with the praise of God as the source of the Exodus
D. Second cup: Cup of Hagadah — retells the story of the Exodus
> Accompanied with retelling of the Exodus story
E. Second hand-washing
F. Prayer over the bread ... then the breaking of the bread
G. Eating of the Passover meal
H. Third cup: Cup of Blessing — consumed at the conclusion of the meal
I. Fourth cup: Cup of Consummation — indicates that the Passover is complete
No. 14. Jesus at the Last Supper
> Luke 22:14-16 — Jesus initiates the Passover meal
> Luke 22:17 — Jesus drinks from the first cup
> Luke 22:20 — Jesus drinks from the second cup
> Luke 22:21 (Matthew 26:23) — Jesus dips his hand (herbs in the salt) in the Seder platee, symbolizing tears of sorrow
> Matthew 26:26 — Jesus strays from the Seder script!
As Rabbi leader of the Seder, Jesus is supposed to say, “Blessed are you, o’ Lord our God, king of the universe, who did feed the entire world with your goodness, with grace, with loving kindness and with pity. He gives bread to all flesh, for His loving goodness endures forever. And in His great goodness, food has not been, and shall not be lacking for us forever and ever, for the sake of His great name; for He is our God, who feeds and supports all, and does good to all, and prepares food for all His creatures, which he did create.”
“While they were eating, Jesus took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and giving it to his disciples said, ‘Take and eat; this is my body.’” - Matthew 26:26
> Matthew 26:27-28 — Jesus strays from the Seder script! again!
As Rabbi leader of the Seder, Jesus is supposed to say, “I will take the cup of salvation and I will call upon the name of the Lord.”
“Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed on behalf of many for the forgiveness of sins.” Matthew 26:27-28
> Matthew 26:30 — Jesus abruptly ends the Seder ! without drinking the fourth cup, the Cup of Consummation!
No. 15. Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” He took along Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to feel sorrow and distress. Then he said to them, “My soul is sorrowful even to death. Remain here and keep watch with me.” He advanced a little and fell prostrate in prayer, saying, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet, not as I will, but as you will.” — Matthew 26:36-39
The beauty of the crucified christ on the Cross
> As sacrifice
> As the new Passover
> As the new Covenant
No. 16. The old covenant, the old passover
> Exodus 12:5 > A perfect lamb > “Your lamb must be a year-old male and with out blemish”
> Exodus 12:7 > The blood of the lamb > “They will take some of its blood and apply it to the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses in which they eat it”
> Exodus 12:22 > The sprig of hyssop > “Then take a bunch of hyssop, and dipping it in the blood that is in the basin, apply some of this blood to the lintel and the two doorpost”
No. 17. The New Covenant, the New Passover
> John 1:29 > Jesus, the new lamb > “The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him and said, ‘Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world’”
> John 19:28 > The wine for the forth cup > “After this, aware that everything was now finished, in order that the scripture might be fulfilled, Jesus said, ‘I thirst.’”
> John 19:29 > The hyssop > “There was a vessel filled with common wine. So they put a sponge soaked in wine on a sprig of hyssop and put it up to his mouth”
> John 19:30 > The New Passover is consummated > “When Jesus had taken the wine, he said, ‘It is finished.’ (consummatum est in Latin = it is consummated) And bowing his head, he handed over the spirit”
No. 18. Execution versus sacrifice
Without the sacrificial meal of the Last Supper the crucifixion would be mere execution rather than sacrifice. It is the Last Supper with the crucifixion that bring fulfillment as the New Passover.
Connecting the Last Supper to the Cross
No. 19. “By celebrating the Last Supper with his apostles in the course of the Passover meal, Jesus gave the Jewish Passover its definitive meaning. Jesus’ passing over to his father by his death and Resurrection, the new Passover, is anticipated in the Supper and celebrated in the Eucharist, which fulfills the Jewish Passover and anticipates the final Passover of the Church in the glory of the kingdom.” — Catechism of the Catholic Church no. 1340
No. 20. “Because it is the memorial of Christ’s Passover, the Eucharist is also a sacrifice. The sacrificial character of the Eucharist is manifested in the very words of institution: “This is my body which is given for you” and “This cup which is poured out for you is the New Covenant in my blood.” In the Eucharist Christ gives us the very body which he gave up for us on the cross, the very blood which he “poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” — Catechism of the Catholic Church no. 1365
Recorded Sunday, March 15, 2015 at Christ the Redeemer Catholic Church in Thibodaux, Louisiana.
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No. 1. After 400 years of slavery Israel loses her identity. “Then the Lord said to Abram: Know for certain that your descendants will reside as aliens in a land not their own, where they shall be enslaved and oppressed for four hundred years.” — Genesis 15:13
No. 2. You shall have no other gods before me. “Therefore, say to the Israelites: I am the Lord. I will free you from the burdens of the Egyptians and will deliver you from their slavery. I will redeem you by my outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment. I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God.” — Exodus 6:6-7
No. 3. I meant that ... you shall have no other gods before me
> First egyptian god: Hapi > the god of the nile
> Second Egyptian god: Heqt > the god of fertility
> Third Egyptian god: Seth > the god of earth
> Fifth Egyptian god: Hathor > a goddess represented by a cow
> Eighth Egyptian god: Isis > the god of life
> Ninth Egyptian god: Aton or Amon-Ra > the god of sun
> Tenth Egyptian god: Pharaoh > considered divine
No. 4. The importance of the Passover
“In order to understand Jesus’ actions at the Last Supper in their ancient Jewish context, it is important first to study the shape of the Passover in Scripture itself. Although the Passover is mentioned numerous times in the pages of the Bible, the most important description is found in Exodus 12. This account not only tells the story of what happened on the night of the first Passover but also gives detailed instructions for how the people of Israel were supposed to keep the feast. ...[The] Book of Exodus not only tells the history of what happened on Passover night. It also lays out the paschal liturgy—the sacrificial ritual— that was to be carried out by the Jewish people on that first night and for all time. ... Hence, it is important to pay attention to the various commands that God gave to Moses for the people to carry out.” — Brant Pitre, Ph.D., Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist
Unpacking Exodus, Chapter 12
No. 5 The Passover now marks time. “This month will stand at the head of your calendar; you will reckon it the first month of the year.” (vs. 2)
No. 6. The insistence on the details reveals how important this is to God. “Tell the whole community of Israel: On the tenth of this month every family must procure for itself a lamb, one apiece for each household. If a household is too small for a lamb ...” (vss. 3 onward)
No. 7. They will offer sacrifice to God ... first (vs. 21) “Moses summoned all the elders of Israel and said to them, “Go and procure lambs for your families, and slaughter the Passover victims. Then take a bunch of hyssop, and dipping it in the blood that is in the basin, apply some of this blood to the lintel and the two doorposts”
> The animals sacrificed would have been worshiped in Egyptian cult
> Pharaoh will know who slaughtered by the blood
> “I am the Lord your God. You shall have no other Gods before me.”
No. 8. The sacrifice is connected to a meal. “This is how you are to eat it ...” (vs. 11)
No. 9. The sacrifice is not complete unless you eat the sacrifice. “This is how you are to eat it ...” (vs. 11)
No. 10. The event and meal are to be remembered (memorialized) forever. “This day will be a day of remembrance for you, which your future generations will celebrate with pilgrimage to the Lord; you will celebrate it as a statute forever” (vs. 14)
No. 11. The memorialization is important to God, essential for identity. “You will keep this practice forever as a statute for yourselves and your descendants. Thus, when you have entered the land which the Lord will give you as he promised, you must observe this rite.” (vs. 14)
No. 12. The Passover event, Passover meal, are at the core of Jewish identity. “You will keep this practice forever as a statute for yourselves and your descendants. Thus, when you have entered the land which the Lord will give you as he promised, you must observe this rite.” (vs. 25) “For seven days no leaven may be found in your houses; for anyone, a resident alien or a native, who eats leavened food will be cut off from the community of Israel” (vs. 17)
No. 13. The passover event
> “Your lamb must be a year-old male and without blemish”
> “Blood of the lamb” ... will ‘set them free’
> The sacrifice is not complete until the sacrifice is consumed. You must eat the flesh of the lamb
No. 14. Memorial not remembering. “… ancient rabbis saw each annual celebration of the Passover as a way of participating in the first exodus. At the time of Jesus, the Passover was not just a sacrifice; it was also a ‘memorial’ or ‘remembrance’ (Exodus 12:14) by which the Jewish people would both remember and somehow make present the deliverance that had been won for their ancestors in the exodus from Egypt.” — Brant Pitre, Ph.D., Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist
Recorded Sunday, March 8, 2015 at Christ the Redeemer Catholic Church in Thibodaux, Louisiana.
No. 1. "The Mass is at the same time, and inseparably, the sacrificial memorial in which the sacrifice of the cross is perpetuated and the sacred banquet of communion with the Lord’s body and blood." — Catechism of the Catholic Church no. 1382
No. 2. "The Eucharist is thus a sacrifice because it re-presents (makes present) the sacrifice of the cross." — Catechism of the Catholic Church no. 1366
No. 3. "The Eucharist is the memorial of Christ’s Passover, the making present and the sacramental offering of his unique sacrifice, in the liturgy of the Church which is his Body." — Catechism of the Catholic Church no. 1362
No. 4. Sacrifice: The word sacrifice is derived from two Latin words:
> “Sacer” which means “sacred”
> “Facer” which means “to make”
> A sacrifice is “an offering to God to make holy”
No. 5. What is need for sacrifice?
> Something to sacrifice = victim
> Someone to offer the sacrifice = priest
> Something to offer the sacrifice on = altar
> Sacrifice is not complete until it’s consumed = fire, consumption (eat)
No. 6. Cain and Abel
The setting: Adam and Eve deliver Cain and Abel. In thanksgiving Cain offers sacrifice (burnt offerings) to God in thanksgiving. “In the course of time Cain brought an offering to the Lord from the fruit of the ground, while Abel, for his part, brought the fatty portion of the firstlings of his flock. The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering.” — Genesis 4:1-5
No. 7. Noah
The setting: After 40 days and 40 nights of continuous rain, God has cleansed the earth. The very first thing Noah does is offer sacrifice. “Then Noah built an altar to the Lord, and choosing from every clean animal and every clean bird, he offered burnt offerings on the altar.” — Genesis 8:20
No. 8. Young Isaac is familiar with sacrifice as part of his life
Abraham said to his servants: “Stay here with the donkey, while the boy and I go on over there. We will worship and then come back to you.” So Abraham took the wood for the burnt offering and laid it on his son Isaac, while he himself carried the fire and the knife. As the two walked on together, Isaac spoke to his father Abraham. “Father!” he said. “Here I am,” he replied. Isaac continued, “Here are the fire and the wood, but where is the sheep for the burnt offering?” “My son,” Abraham answered, “God will provide the sheep for the burnt offering.” Then the two walked on together. — Exodus 22:5-8
No. 9. Moses, Pharaoh, and sacrifice
The setting: God has just called Moses. The very first time God asks Moses to go to Pharaoh, what is Moses asked to ask Pharaoh? “Let my people go.” Why? To offer sacrifice. “Then you and the elders of Israel will go to the king of Egypt and say to him: The Lord, the God of the Hebrews, has come to meet us. So now, let us go a three days’ journey in the wilderness to offer sacrifice to the Lord, our God.” — Exodus 3:18
No. 10. Moses ratifies the covenant ... how? With sacrifice
When Moses came to the people and related all the words and ordinances of the Lord, they all answered with one voice, “We will do everything that the Lord has told us.” Moses then wrote down all the words of the Lord and, rising early in the morning, he built at the foot of the mountain an altar and twelve sacred stones for the twelve tribes of Israel. Then, having sent young men of the Israelites to offer burnt offerings and sacrifice young bulls as communion offerings to the Lord, Moses took half of the blood and put it in large bowls; the other half he splashed on the altar. Taking the book of the covenant, he read it aloud to the people, who answered, “All that the Lord has said, we will hear and do.” Then he took the blood and splashed it on the people, saying, “This is the blood of the covenant which the Lord has made with you according to all these words.” — Exodus 24:3-8
Recorded Sunday, March 1, 2015 at Christ the Redeemer Catholic Church in Thibodaux, Louisiana.
