Posted on 10/13/2005 7:17:36 AM PDT by Pyro7480
Well, as usual, you are very right in everything you write. But in the end, the only purpose of this certainly necessary, at least for most of us, knowledge is to experience, to live out something like this:
"O, how indispensable must and ought we in all ways to approach this heavenly communal feast, which grants us this lofty mystery of the Holy Table!
The angels are present invisibly; in great reverence the priests, who in this moment of mystery are honored above the angels, sacrifice the blameless Lamb.
The angels minister and faithful approach to eat and drink the Body and Blood of Christ: "receive the Body of Christ, taste the fountain of immortality," in order thus to live in Christ and not die through sin." Ephraim of Philotheou
*LOL We call ours "The Daughters of Trent."
I just returned from Mass at the Cathedral. As one of the Christians Redeemed by Christ, I am priviledged to, along with the Priest, offer the Perfect Sacrifice of the New Covenant to God.
The Priest, Jesus, offers Himself to God on our behalf as an act of propitiation.
What do I offer? Every single thing I do between the time one Mass ends and the next Mass begins. That is why the dual purpose of the Mass - Mass as Covenental Sacrifice and Covenental Banquet - is crucial to remember.
We are what we eat is the short way of expressing it.
Our Theosis is what we offfer God at Mass. The Eucharist is what transforms and elevates our concupiscent nature and makes more pleasing to God our lives and renders more acceptable to God our worship; we offer our very selves, which is added to the pluperfect Sacrifice of the God-Man, Jesus, Our Lord and Saviour.
That is our part at Mass, among other things. What are we bringing to Mass? Our Christian life. That is our offering and it had better be the best we can offer.
When I was young and in passionate love, I tried to give the best gifts to my Bride. I didn't give her something from the gutter. What do I as a Christian offer to He whom I love above all else? I offer my Christian life. It had BETTER not come from the gutter. And it is only lifted out of the gutter by His Salvific, Sanctifying Grace, communicated to me at Mass when I eat the Covenental heavenly Banquet.
Thanks be to God I was bornacatholic
"We call ours "The Daughters of Trent."
I love it! What 'til I see my cousin the Jesuit!!!!
Sounds like about the most you could hope for.
Praying that your young seminarian doesn't fall under the sway of iffy theologians.
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