Irenaeus
“He took from among creation that which is bread, and gave thanks, saying, ‘This is my body.’ The cup likewise, which is from among the creation to which we belong, he confessed to be his blood. He taught the new sacrifice of the new covenant, of which Malachi, one of the twelve [minor] prophets, had signified beforehand: ‘You do not do my will, says the Lord Almighty, and I will not accept a sacrifice at your hands. For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name is glorified among the Gentiles, and in every place incense is offered to my name, and a pure sacrifice; for great is my name among the Gentiles, says the Lord Almighty’ [Mal. 1:10–11]. By these words he makes it plain that the former people will cease to make offerings to God; but that in every place sacrifice will be offered to him, and indeed, a pure one, for his name is glorified among the Gentiles” (Against Heresies 4:17:5 [A.D. 189]).
I never seen a writing from a early Father on this verse before Irenaeus. The sacrifice was only in one place in Jerusalem. Then this reads every place. Only the sacrifice of the Mass explains this old testament verse. No other explanation can make any sense of this verse. IMHO.
Also notice this is God's point of view from eternity. He is outside of time and space which comes from his creation( The cosmos). He sees the future like in the present thus this verse spoken to the prophet:
"and in every place incense is offered to my name, and a pure sacrifice; for great is my name among the Gentiles, says the Lord Almighty’ [Mal. 1:10–11]
When he spoke the prophet was in creation but God spoke outside of this creation which is eternity. The prophet probably did not know what God meant but took it on faith never the less. Just like we do when say the Mystery of the Faith on certain matters.
It seems that each of us may have one or two verses or stories from the Bible that “seals the deal” for us.
I so appreciate your post as that is a verse that thought I may have read or heard it before had not struck a chord with me so that I remembered it or made the connection you made.
For me, searching and praying after so many years away from the church and being afraid to return to her, there are two things from the NT that did it for me. And when I say “did it”, I mean brought a peace to me that has never left.
One is when Jesus says, “Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” A verse that has no inundated our vernacular that most probably don’t even think of it as words Jesus spoke but just another catchy phrase to use. But, I remember reading the beginning of John’s Gospel and thinking, “Aha, the Word is Jesus” and I began to see that passage very differently.
The second is the story of the two disciples on the road to Emmaus. Another “AHA” moment for me. That story is also the basis for one of my favorite hymns, “In the Breaking of the Bread” by Michael Ward.
Lyrics: “In the Breaking of the Bread” by Michael Ward
1. In the walking on the road, we saw him.
In the telling of our hopes, we saw him.
In the burning of our hearts, we saw the Lord.
At the meal he took the bread and then he blessed it, broke it, offered it.
In the breaking of the bread, we saw him!
Suddenly our eyes were opened, and we knew he was alive!
2. We set out to find his friends to tell them.
We went to Jerusalem to tell them;
and with joy we told them, “We have seen the Lord!”
And as we were speaking there, he stood among us, blessed us, said to us,
“Now my peace I leave with you.” We saw him!
Suddenly our eyes were opened, and we knew he was alive!
3. But then we became afraid without him.
In the darkened room we stayed without him,
waiting for the One he said that he would send.
Then the Spirit of the Lord came down upon us,
filling us, changing us, giving us the strength to say:
We saw him! Suddenly our eyes were opened, and we knew he was alive!
4. We ran out into the street to tell them,
everyone that we could meet, to tell them,
“God has raised him up and we have seen the Lord!”
We took bread as he had done and then we blessed it, broke it, offered it.
In the breaking of the bread, we saw him!
Suddenly our eyes were opened.
There within our midst was Jesus, and we knew he was alive.
In the breaking of the bread, he is here with us again,
and we know he is alive. Alleluia!
This link has a beautiful rendition if you don’t know it.
http://saintandrewscotia.org/learn-grow/vialucis/6thstat/