Holy Mass Sacrifice and Celebration

Salvation History 1. When God made human beings, there was friendship, happiness and harmony. 2. But Adam and Eve were disobedient, choosing their way over God‘s way. They lost the friendship of God.

Salvation History 3. All humans, since they are from Adam and Eve, carry inside a wounding wish to choose their way over God’s. Every wrong act showed the distance between humans and God. 4. But God didn’t forget about humans. To help them come back he chose people who trusted God, like Noah first and Abraham later. God chose Abraham to be the father of ISRAEL, God’s holy people. God wished to make all people holy through Israel.

Salvation History 5. But even Israel drifted away from God. God sent his Word through prophets to remind Israel that they were a holy people. God never stopped calling his people back. 6. At long last, the Word of God was made flesh, a human being, to walk with us and show us the way back to his Father. His name is JESUS.

Salvation History 7. But Jesus, the Light of the World, was rejected by the people, who preferred to stay in darkness. He suffered a cruel death. 8. By his suffering and death, Jesus carried on his innocent shoulders the weight of every sin that was, is and will be committed – right to the end of the world.

Salvation History 9. On the third day Jesus rose from death, never to die again. His wounds opened up a new path to the Father. Jesus gathers a new people, the Church, to walk in the light.

Theology of Atonement God infinite perfect Humanity finite sinful Christ’s perfect sacrifice of atonement (at-one-ment) Infinite – because he is God Saving humans – because he is man

Worship in Judaism The Temple was the only place where Jews offered sacrifice in the time of Jesus The Temple was destroyed by the Romans in 70 AD

Worship in Judaism Only one part of the Temple remains to this day It is the Western (Wailing) Wall The only type of worship that survived involved the synagogue In the synagogue the Torah is the focus There are readings, songs and prayer Torah

Worship in Judaism The synagogue on the right has a sort of pulpit (reading stand) It has no altar – why not? The Torah scroll on the right has to be made in a very careful way It is treasured as the Word of God for Jews Christians also treasure it synagogue

Summary so far … Sacrificial Worship Temple Ended 70 AD Prayer, Readings & Hymns Worship Synagogues Continues to present day

The Mass The Mass combines both aspects of Jewish worship – readings/prayer and sacrifice There is the Liturgy of the Word This takes place at the reading stand There is then the Liturgy of the Eucharist This takes place at the altar This is the sacrificial part Christ ’ s sacrifice is enacted on the altar

Sacrifice of the Mass It is impossible to get across the awesome mystery Catholics believe that Christ is truly present on the altar

Old & New Covenants linked What kind of slavery? What sacrifice? What crossing? What kind of slavery? What sacrifice? What crossing? What land? Old Covenant with Israel, the People of God: New Covenant with the Church, the People of God: S LA VE R Y FREEDOM THROUGH SACRIFICE C R O SS I N G PROMISEDLANDPROMISEDLAND