Course 4, Chapter 11: Christianity visible. — Of Sacrifice in general, and the Sacrifice of the Mass in particular

1. What is a sacrifice?

A sacrifice is an offering made to God of a thing which we destroy, in order to acknowledge thereby his sovereign dominion over all creatures.

2. Why is sacrifice jiecessary V

Sacrifice is necessary, because it is the only means by which to acknowledge the sovereign dominion of God over all tLat exists.

3. How so?

Because by the act of destroying a creature in honor of God, man says to him: I acknowledge that you are the absolute master of the life and death of all creatures and of myself.

4. Why were bloody sacrifices used?

Bloody sacrifices were used to expiate sin; in offering them man said to God: I deserve to die, as this creature which I immolate to yon.

5. Who established sacrifices?

God established sacrifices, for man of himself would never have imagined that the blood of an animal could please God or expiate sin.

6. Did the sacrifices of animals please God of themselves?

The sacrifices of animals and other creatures did not of themselves please God, but because they represented that sacrifice of infinite price which was one day to be offered up.

7. How many kinds of sacrifice were there among the Jews?

Among the Jews there were four kinds of sacrifice: 1st, holocaust, in which the whole victim was consumed by fire. It was an offering of adoration to God; 2d, the pacific sacrifice, offered for thanksgiving; 3d, the propitiatory sacrifice, offered for the expiation of sin; 4th, the hnpetratory sacrifice, offered to obtain favors from God.

8. What always accompanies these sacrifices?

The communion always accompanied these sacrifices, that is, the faithful and the priests ate of the flesh of the victim in order to be in communion with God, by means of the things immolated to him.

9. By what have the ancient sacrifices been re placed?

The ancient sacrifices have been replaced by a sacrifice one and eternal, the sacrifice of Calvary, which is of infinite price, and of which all others were but the figure.

10. What is the mass?

The mass is the contir nation and renewal of the sacrifice of the cross. The. onV difference between the sacrifice of the mass a id that of Calvary is, that on the altar our Lord is offered in an unHoody manner, whilst on Calvary he was offered in a bloody manner.

11. Why is the sacrifice of the mass necessary?

The sacrifice of mass is necessary to enable us to participate in the victim of Calvary, b) eating his flesh and drinking his blood, and to apply to ourselves the merits of the sacrifice of the cross.