The Catholic Mass is quite possibly the saddest thing that you can imagine. We are desensitized to it, but if you think about what's happening, it's horrifyingly tragic.
We begin the magic with the liturgy of the word. We listen to verses from the old testament, and then hear the words that Jesus said.
The priest then gives a homily where he talks about what Jesus said.
It's essentially a eulogy.
Then the liturgy of the eucharist, where we hear the words of Jesus "on the night he was betrayed." How he offered up bread, saying that "this is my body," and the wine saying "this is my blood."
Telling us that this offering he was giving to us is the sacrifice of His very life on the cross.
And on the following day, he died.
I can't think of anything more sad, more tragic.
From the earliest times of Christianity, as soon as Christ died and rose again, the Christians immediately began celebrating the mass. Offering literally every day, in effect, a memorial service to Jesus.
The people who offered the mass were people who knew Jesus, who loved Jesus, who watched him die.
Imagine giving a memorial service to your dead friend every day and not breaking down in tears every single time.
But they didn't. For them, the mass was an occasion of great joy.
What explanation can I offer other than that Christ is risen?
We begin the magic with the liturgy of the word. We listen to verses from the old testament, and then hear the words that Jesus said.
The priest then gives a homily where he talks about what Jesus said.
It's essentially a eulogy.
Then the liturgy of the eucharist, where we hear the words of Jesus "on the night he was betrayed." How he offered up bread, saying that "this is my body," and the wine saying "this is my blood."
Telling us that this offering he was giving to us is the sacrifice of His very life on the cross.
And on the following day, he died.
I can't think of anything more sad, more tragic.
From the earliest times of Christianity, as soon as Christ died and rose again, the Christians immediately began celebrating the mass. Offering literally every day, in effect, a memorial service to Jesus.
The people who offered the mass were people who knew Jesus, who loved Jesus, who watched him die.
Imagine giving a memorial service to your dead friend every day and not breaking down in tears every single time.
But they didn't. For them, the mass was an occasion of great joy.
What explanation can I offer other than that Christ is risen?
