Sacrifice of the Mass Question

The sacrifice of the Mass in some respects Is the same as Christ’s sacrifice on Calvary and in some respects it is a new sacrifice.

The sacrifice of the Mass is the same as Christ’s sacrifice on Calvary because, with qualification, the “victim” being offered in both sacrifices is the same and the “priest” offering both sacrifices is the same. The “victim” in both cases is Jesus Christ with the qualification that Jesus was mortal when he was offered in sacrifice on Calvary but now when he is offered in sacrifice at Mass he is risen and glorified, immortal and impassible (incapable of being harmed in any way). The “priest” in both cases is also Jesus with the qualification that Jesus acted as priest alone on Calvary but now at Mass he acts through the Catholic priest; the Catholic priest acts in persona Christi.

The sacrifice of the Mass is a new sacrifice because the manner in which the “victim” is offered and because the date, time and location of the offerings are different. At Calvary, the “victim” was offered in a bloody manner, i.e., was killed; now at Mass, the “victim” is not killed but offered in an unbloody or unharmed manner, as a living sacrifice, like when in the Old Testament the entire tribe of Levi was offered as a living sacrifice to the Lord, as a wave offering. See Numbers 8:5-22.

It should be remembered that, wherever the risen Jesus now appears, such as when he is offered in sacrifice at Mass today, his sacrifice on Calvary is brought to mind (made present again, re-presented) because, though now risen from the dead and glorified, Jesus still bears the marks of his crucifixion in his flesh. See John 20:27; Revelation 5:6. Jesus’ sacrifice at Calvary is brought to mind at the sacrifice of the Mass similar to the way a soldier’s wartime sacrifice of an arm, or leg or eye is brought to mind when people see him marching in uniform in a Veterans Day parade with an empty shirt sleeve or empty pant leg or eye patch. Jesus’ bloody sacrifice, i.e., his death, was a singular, unrepeatable event that occurred about 2000 years ago on the afternoon of the first Good Friday. Jesus’ unbloody sacrifice at Mass now, because he is not harmed in any way, is repeatable and has been repeated throughout Church history, fulfilling the prophesy of Malachi 1:11, “For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name is great among the nations, and in every place incense is offered to my name, and a pure offering; for my name is great among the nations, says the Lord of hosts.”

Ancient Israel, the ancient pagans, and the early Christians, as Catholics today, all practiced some form of sacrificial worship, where a priest offered a food (or drink) sacrifice to a deity on a table or altar (or cup) dedicated to the deity and then those worshippers who wanted to receive the benefits of the sacrifice would eat (or drink) the sacrifices, partake of the table (or cup) of the deity. In the case of ancient Israel and early Christians, as Catholics today, the deity in question was the one true God; in the case of the ancient pagans it was their so-called gods and idols, which were really demons. St Paul briefly talks about this when he compares the sacrificial worship of ancient Israel, ancient pagans and early Christians in 1 Corinthians 10:14-22. The Passover feast of ancient Israel was a form of sacrificial worship, where the Passover lamb was first offered in sacrifice to God by a priest and then it was taken home to be eaten by those who wished to benefit from the sacrifice. That the Lord’s Supper of the early Christians (the Mass) was similar to the sacrificial worship of the Passover of ancient Israel can be seen in the words St Paul uses, when he compares Jesus to the Paschal (Passover) lamb, “For Christ, our paschal lamb, has been sacrificed [in a bloody manner on Calvary long ago]. Let us, therefore, celebrate the festival…[by eating that self-same lamb today]” (1 Corinthians 5:7b-8a) Because the “victim” at the sacrifice of the Mass today is the same as the “victim” at Calvary, namely, Jesus, those Christian worshippers who eat of the “victim” (Jesus) at Mass today receive not only the benefits of today’s unbloody sacrifice but also the benefits of Jesus’ bloody sacrifice on Calvary 2000 years ago. St Paul further said,

"The cup of blessing which we bless [at Mass today], is it not a participation in the blood of Christ [that was offered in sacrifice at Calvary]? The bread which we break [at Mass today], is it not a participation in the body of Christ [that was offered in sacrifice at Calvary]?" (1 Corinthians 10:16)

And,

"Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord [today] in an unworthy manner will be guilty of profaning the [same] body and blood of the Lord [that was offered in sacrifice at Calvary]." (1 Corinthians 11:27)​