Having to correct peoples' confidently-stated constantly-reiterated misconceptions about the Catholic faith puts the conversation on an awkward footing, I think.
This is why I keep urging people: please don't TELL me what I believe. ASK me what I believe. TELL me what YOU believe. Please. That will be more interesting, more thoughtful, and --- I guarantee --- more accurate.
In the Mass, Christ offers Himself by virtue of His high priesthood; He is the offering by virtue of being the "Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world" (John 1:29). Thus, the Mass is truly an offering - the offering of Christ Himself.
It is a plain fact of history that Christ died only one time upon the cross. As Sacred Scripture says:
"Knowing that Christ rising again from the dead, dies now no more, death shall no more have dominion over him. For in that he died to sin, he died once; but in that He lives, He lives unto God" (Rom. 6:9-10).
As we say at every Sunday Mass, "He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father."
Though Jesus died only once, He is perpetually interceding for us before the throne of God, pleading His blood and the perfection of His offering to God on our behalf.
"Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us" (Rom. 8:34).
This heavenly offering is the principle act of the Mass.
In the Epistle to the Hebrews, it is revealed that because Christ is a perpetual high priest, He is ever offering Himself to God, and by virtue of this He is "able to save those who draw near" to Him. The author of Hebrews states:
"The former priests were many in number, because they were prevented by death from continuing in office; but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues for ever. Consequently he is able for all time to save those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them" (Heb. 7:23-25).
Amen?
Last post until tomorrow. Goodnight and peace be to you.
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Not sure how you can square away the Roman Catholic position with what John O'Brien, Roman Catholic priest wrote in The Faith of Millions when compared to Hebrews.
| John O' Brien, Roman Catholic Priest in the Faith of Millions. | Hebrews 9:24-28 | Hebrews 10:11-13 |
| When the priest pronounces the tremendous words of consecration, he reaches up into the heavens, brings Christ down from His throne, and places Him upon our altar to be offered up again as the Victim for the sins of man. It is a power greater than that of monarchs and emperors: it is greater than that of saints and angels, greater than that of Seraphim and Cherubim. Indeed it is greater even than the power of the Virgin Mary. While the Blessed Virgin was the human agency by which Christ became incarnate a single time, the priest brings Christ down from heaven, and renders Him present on our altar as the eternal Victim for the sins of man—not once but a thousand times! The priest speaks and lo! Christ, the eternal and omnipotent God, bows His head in humble obedience to the priest’s command. |
24For 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; 25nor was it that He would offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the holy place year by year with blood that is not his own. 26Otherwise, 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. 27And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment, 28so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him. |
Every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins; 12but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, SAT DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD, 13waiting from that time onward UNTIL HIS ENEMIES BE MADE A FOOTSTOOL FOR HIS FEET. 14For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified. |
I understand why in Roman Catholic churches Christ is still on the Cross....ya'll continue to crucify Him over and over and over again.
In Christian churches the Cross is bare.....because He is no longer on the Cross.
There is a difference.