Really? The burnt offerings in the Old Testament were metaphors? Was the ram that Abraham and Isaac offered as a burnt offering in Genesis 22 (after God allowed Isaac to be spared) a metaphor? Was Creation a metaphor? What about the Flood, was that a metaphor?, It's disturbing to watch what happens when people deny the teachings of the Church and opt for their own personal interpretations. EVERYTHING they don't like gets dismissed as either a metaphor or outdated. Modern moral relativism/secular humanism certainly got its start during the Reformation.
I urge you to reread Hosea 6 for context.
shalom b'SHEM Yah'shua HaMashiach
Of course these were not metaphors.
But ritual is a form of language that takes it color, content, and meaning from culture and tradition. And with the passage of time and the progress of civilization societies mark distinctions between various forms of rituals which while accepted at an earlier time and age are no longer considered proper.
The supreme sacrifice of the Son of Man on the Cross brought forth for the ages the Holy Eucharist, the bloodless sacrifice at the Catholic Mass. The celebration of this sacrifice through the rituals of sacred and celestial music, and forms of worships uplifts the soul and allows us to glorify our God. Thus soaring architecture, stained glass windows, sculptures, paintings, and Gregorian chants are all part of this rich tapestry of acknowledging and giving thanks to God in the context of the Mass. Everything else is drivel.
Are you unwilling to answer my questions?