Our readings give us a glimpse into the Mass and the sacramental life Jesus Christ instituted in His Holy Catholic Church.
It is through humbly living the sacramental life that we ultimately receive favor from God. It is through humbly living the sacramental life that our thirsts are quenched and our sins are atoned for. It is through humbly living the sacramental life that we are freed from our secular prisons and allowed entrance into the holy dwelling place of God, our promised home for all eternity.
We must remember that the sacramental life hinges solely on Jesus Christ as the mediator of the New Covenant. But, what does that really mean?
Throughout history, the establishment of a covenant required two things: an initiation by one party and a response by the other party. God initiated a covenant with Adam, and Adam responded imperfectly. God initiated a covenant with Noah, and Noah responded imperfectly. God then initiated a covenant with Abraham, and Abraham also responded imperfectly. God initiated a covenant with Moses, and Moses (as you can probably guess) responded imperfectly. And, so on and so forth throughout the history of Israel in the Old Testament....until we get to the Last Supper.
At the Last Supper on Mount Zion, in the context of the Jewish Passover, Jesus Christ through His divine nature initiated the new and everlasting covenant. Then, on the cross, Jesus Christ through His human nature offered the perfect response through the sprinkling of His Blood. On the cross, Jesus Christ drank from the fourth and final Passover cup (which is known as the Chalice of Hallel). On the cross, Jesus Christ sacrificed Himself as the true Lamb of God Who takes away the sins of the world. On the cross, Jesus declared the consummation of the New Covenant finished.
This transaction between initiation of and response to the new and everlasting covenant is the authentic context of Jesus's role as our one and true mediator with God. Only Jesus Christ in His divinity could initiate an eternal covenant. Only Jesus Christ in His humanity could offer a perfect response.
The Eucharist, the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ, is the mechanism Jesus gave us that allows us to substantially participate in His once-and-for-all sacrifice on Calvary. The Eucharist is the mechanism Jesus gave us that allows us to efficaciously (effectively) participate in His perfect response to the new covenant. That is why Jesus was adamant at the Last Supper that the Catholic Church “Do this”.
This is why the Mass is so incredibly important. Without our humble and active participation in the Mass, our personal response to the new covenant is imperfect at best, and quite possibly not efficacious. We need the Mass. We need the Eucharist. We need to drink from the chalice from which Jesus drank (namely, the Chalice of Hallel that is offered at every single Mass through the Eucharist). We need to eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink His Blood in order to have salvation and eternal life.
Jesus Christ is our mediator with God for our salvation. From Mount Zion, His blood speaks more eloquently than that of Abel.
When we come to Mass, we approach Mount Zion as we are sacramentally present to the actual crucifixion of Jesus Christ nearly 2,000 years ago. We are there, with Mary and John, standing at the foot of the cross.
When we come to Mass, we approach the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. We are in the presence of countless angels in festal gathering. We are in the presence of the assembly of the martyrs, the virgins, and all the other saints that have gone before us in humbly living the sacramental life.
We don't come to Mass to warm up a pew for an hour, to listen to someone talk for a few minutes, to listen to some music, nor to receive a measly portion or bread and wine (or crackers and grape juice if you are not Catholic). If that is all this really is, then seriously, what’s the point?
No, we come to Mass, because ultimately we are the spiritually poor. We are the spiritually crippled. We are the spiritually lame. We are the spiritually blind. We come to Mass because it is through the Eucharist that God provides His goodness. We come to Mass to renew and strengthen our participation in the eternal covenant. We come to Mass to humbly approach our true mediator so we can be sanctified and restored.
This grace comes to us in a very real and tangible way as we truly receive the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ through the Eucharist, provided He is received with the correct intention and disposition.
As we begin the Liturgy of the Eucharist for this Mass, I encourage you to allow yourself to fully experience Mount Zion nearly 2,000 years ago. I encourage you to allow yourself to fully experience the heavenly liturgy as it is described in the Book of Revelation.
Whatever your battles are, whatever your sacrifices are, whatever your sufferings are, whatever your afflictions are, now is the time to humbly surrender them to the Lord and to allow them to be nailed to the Cross to be transformed by the Blood of Jesus Christ through this Mass into something holy. Humbly offer these burdens to God through the Mass that you may be free of them and that you may be fully open to receive the ultimate grace that we can only receive through the Eucharist. As Jesus says several times in John chapter 6, only if we eat the Flesh of the Son of Man and drink His Blood, do we have eternal life.
At the end of the Psalm that we heard part of today, David writes “Awesome is God in His Holy Place, the God of Israel, who gives power and strength to His People.”
Mount Zion was referred to as the Holy Place of God in the old covenant…the dwelling place of the Lord who made heaven and earth. Through the Mass, we lift our eyes to our true help, our true Temple, Jesus Christ in the Eucharist…the true Temple of the new covenant. The true Temple that Jesus said He would raise in three days. The true Temple, which we receive to make us suitable temples for the Holy Spirit so that we can be sanctified and restored.
Indeed, through the goodness of the sacramental life of His Holy Catholic Church, God makes a home for the poor and the humble.
Thanks be to God!
No comments:
Post a Comment