IS THE ROMAN CATHOLIC MASS A SACRIFICE

OR CELEBRATION OF CHRIST'S DEATH?

Many of todays Roman Catholics believe the Mass to be nothing more

than a celebration of Christ's sacrificial death on the cross.

But what are the teachings from the Roman Catholic Mass really saying?

If we look at the parts of the mass we see the Introductory rites,

the Liturgy of the Word, the Liturgy of the Eucharist, and the

Concluding rite. We wish to look closely at the Liturgy of the

Eucharist. After the Liturgy of the Word, and the profession of

faith, we come to the Liturgy of the Eucharist. All throughout the

Mass the congregation responds to the Priest's prayers.

The Priest begins by saying, "Blessed are you, Lord God of all

creation. Through your goodness we have this bread to offer, which

earth has given and human hands have made. It will become for us the

bread of life."

The simplest meaning of these words are, that 'bread' that God has

provided, and 'human hands have made' will become an offering unto

God. Bread is made from grains, grains are fruit from the ground.

But the Bible says in Genesis 4:3-5, "So it came about in the course

of time that Cain brought an offering to the Lord of the fruit of the

ground. And Abel, on his part also brought of the firstlings of his

flock and of their fat portions. And the Lord had regard for Abel and

for his offering; but for Cain and for his offering He had NO REGARD."

Hebrews 9:22 says, "And according to the Law, one may almost say, all

things are cleansed with blood, and without shedding of blood there is

no forgiveness." God REJECTED the offering from the ground 'fruit of

the ground' (grain or bread) and the work of human hands, but accepted

the offering of blood of a lamb (firstlings of his flock).

The priest continues, "Blessed are you, Lord, God of all creation.

Through your goodness we have this wine to offer, fruit of the vine

and work of human hands. It will become our spiritual drink."

Again, this is simply saying, God provided the grapes, and through

man's efforts (work of human hands), this will be offered up to God.

Now the priest says, "Lord God, we ask you to receive us and be

pleased with the sacrifice we offer you with humble and contrite

hearts. (washing his hands, the priest says quietly) Lord, wash away

my iniquity; cleanse me from my sin."

The priest is saying he is also a sinner, and is asking God to accept

this offering/sacrifice for the forgiveness of his own sin.

The priest continues, "Pray, brethren, that our sacrifice may be

acceptable to God, the almighty Father."

This sacrifice has a definite purpose. The forgiveness of the priests

sins as well as the congregation.

The congregation responds by agreeing with the priest that this is a

sacrifice, and praying that God will accept this 'work of human hands'

- this bread and fruit of the vine (grape juice or wine).

"May the Lord accept the sacrifice at your hands for the praise and

glory of his name, and for our good, and the good of all his Church."

This is obviously not a celebration but a sacrifice for the

forgiveness of sins of the people and the priest! Every day this same

sacrifice is offered all around the world by priests for sin.

Hebrews 10:10-11 says, "By this will we have been sanctified through

the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. And every

priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same

sacrifice, which can never take away sins; but He, having offered one

sacrifice for sins for all time, sat down at the right hand of God,

waiting from that time onward until His enemies be made a footstool

for His feet. For by one offering He has perfected for all time those

who are sanctified."

Jesus Christ died on the cross ONE time for all. He offered His own

BLOOD as the perfect sacrifice to pay the penalty for sin. Unlike the

sacrifice the priests continually offer, 'which can NEVER take away

sins'. Jesus made this perfect offering of Himself ONE time for all

sin, not daily; thus Jesus 'sat down'.

The Bible says, "For is was fitting that we should have a high priest,

holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above

the heavens; who does not need daily, like those high priests, to

offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins, and then for the sins of

the people, because this He did once for all when He offered up

Himself." Hebrews 7:26-27.

God requires a sinless 'innocent, undefiled' Priest AND a perfect

sacrifice for our sins. The modern day priest is not perfect, and the

sacrifice of bread and wine is still not acceptable to God! These are

all unacceptable because they are fruits of the ground, and not BLOOD.

1 Peter 1:18-19 "knowing that you were not redeemed with perishable

things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from

your forefathers, but with precious blood, as of a lamb unblemished

and spotless, the blood of Christ." Note 'unblemished' ie. PERFECT.

Ephesians 2:8-9 says, "For by grace you have been saved through faith;

and that not of yourselves, it it the gift of God; not as a result of

works, that no one should boast."

God does not accept the 'work of human hands' for the forgiveness of

our sins. Instead, forgiveness comes as a free gift, which only Jesus

Christ, the perfect High Priest, offers.

At this point you may be saying, "I'm not so bad though, at least not

as bad as some people are". The apostle James said in James 2:10,

"For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in one point, he has

become guilty of all." This simply means if you sinned only one time

and if your priest has sinned one time, one is as guilty as the other.

While on the cross, Jesus Christ said "it is finished". The Mass is

never a complete work, but, rather a continually repeated work of

human hands which God has already rejected.

Hebrews 9:24-28 says, "For Christ did not enter a holy place made with

hands, a mere copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to

appear in the presence of God for us, nor was it that He should offer

Himself often, as the high priest enters the holy place year by year

with blood not his own. Otherwise, He would have needed to suffer

often since the foundation of the world; but now once at the

consummation of the ages He has been manifested to put away sin by the

sacrifice of Himself. And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die

once and after this comes judgement, so Christ also, having been

offered once to bear the sins of many, shall appear a second time for

salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him."

Now since Jesus Christ has made the perfect sacrifice for our sins in

the presence of God, and since this sacrifice of Himself is already

completed, why bother God with a sacrifice He won't accept?

In addition, since 'after this comes judgement', don't we really want

to put our faith in a finished sacrifice, instead of one that can't

take away a single sin?

Romans 5:9 "Much more then having now been justified by His blood, we

shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him."

Ephesians 1:7 "In Him we have redemption through His blood, the

forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace,"

A little footnote...to suggest that the bread and wine become the

actual body and blood of Jesus Christ during the Mass, is the same as

suggesting that Jesus lied when He said "It is finished"; or His

sacrifice on the cross was incomplete!

Hebrews 10:29-31 says, "How much severer punishment do you think he

will deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has

regarded as unclean the blood of the covenant by which he was sanctified

and has insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know Him who said,

Vengeance is Mine, I will repay.' And again, 'The Lord will judge His

people.' It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the

living God."

Jesus Christ, the Son of God, second person of the trinity, died only

one time for all your sins. He provided absolute proof of His deity

by raising Himself from the dead. You will someday stand before Him,

all alone - and you'll have to give account of your unbelief or your

acceptance of what you've just read. There will be no appeals, no

plea bargaining, and no excuses, just Judgement - and all based on His

Word, the Bible.

Hebrews 7:25-28 sums it all up: "Hence, also, He is able to save forever

those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make

intercession for them; who does not need daily, like those high priests,

to offer up sacrifices, first for His own sins, and then for the sins of

the people, because this He did once for all when He offered up Himself."

Why not by faith, place all of your trust and hope in the perfect sacrifice

Jesus Christ made for your sins nearly 2000 years ago. Repent and Reject

the sacrifice made with human hands - as God already has; and receive God's

own Son into your heart, trusting Him and Him alone for the forgiveness

of your sins and salvation of your soul. Jesus FINISHED the work,

now it's up to you to believe Him, repent of your sin, and receive Him.

All quotes from the Roman Catholic Church are from "The New Rite of

the Holy Mass", Priests of the Sacred Heart, Hales Corners, Wi. 53130

and The New American Standard Bible.

COPYWRIGHT 1987 by Bill Bennett

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