La Leçon de catéchisme (Catechism Lesson), 1890, by Jules-Alexis Muenier (1863-1942), oil on canvas, Musée des beaux-arts et d’archéologie de Besançon

Always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you the reason for the hope that is in you, but do so with gentleness and reverence.”

cf. 1 Peter 3:15-16

catechesis

A daily morsel of Catholic education and faith formation.

Eucharist / Mass

The Mass as a Sacrifice

QUESTION OR COMMON OBJECTION:

At every Catholic Mass, Jesus is sacrificed again and again. How can Jesus die more than once?

CATHOLIC ANSWER:

Jesus doesn’t die again in the Mass. But his once-for-all sacrifice is re-presented in a non-bloody manner – through the sacramental elements of bread and wine.

From the rising of the sun, even to its setting … they bring sacrifice to my name, and a pure offering.”

Malachi 1:11

Catholic priests fulfill this prophecy by offering the once-for-all sacrifice of Jesus to the Father every hour, every day in the churches throughout the world. Think about that: Every hour, of every day, everywhere around the globe, the Catholic Church follows Jesus’ command, “Do this in memory of me” (1 Cor 11:24).

At the Last Supper of the Lord Jesus Christ, on the night before he died for us — Holy Thursday — Christ gathered with his apostles to celebrate the Jewish feast of Passover. It was there, in the upper room as described in the Gospel of Mark (see also, Matthew 26: 25-29; and Luke 22: 13-20), that the Lord Jesus Christ instituted the Holy Eucharist:

And as they were eating He took bread and blessed and broke it and gave it to them and said, ‘Take, this is my body.’ And He took a cup and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them and they all drank of it and He said to them, ‘This is my blood of the New Covenant which is poured out for many.”

cf. Gospel of Mark 14: 22-24

In the First Letter of Saint Paul to the Corinthians, Paul instructs the community of faith about the Holy Eucharist:

For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes. Therefore whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord unworthily will have to answer for the body and blood of the Lord. A person should examine himself, and so eat the bread and drink the cup. For anyone who eats and drinks without discerning the body, eats and drinks judgment on himself.”

1 Corinthians 11: 23-29

Other References: 1 Cor 10:16-17, 11:26; Lk 22:19

For additional video reflections on the Catholic understanding of the The Real Presence of Jesus in the Eucharist, please see:

From Bishop Barron of Word on Fire

Explore a collection of my resources on the Eucharist here: https://www.wordonfire.org/presence/

It’s hard to describe how angry I feel after reading the latest Pew Forum study, which reveals only one-third of Catholics agree with the Church that the Eucharist is actually the Body and Blood of Christ. This should be a wake-up call to all of us in the Church—priests, bishops, religious, laypeople, catechists, parents, everyone—that we need to pick up our game when it comes to communicating even the most basic doctrines of the Church. Watch this video for more…

Bishop Barron on Catholics Misunderstanding the Eucharist

Credit: Friendly Defenders by Ascension Press.

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catechism of the Catholic Church

For information about what the Catholic Church believes, answers to FAQs, and an encompassing resource addressing common objections and misconceptions non-Catholics and Catholics alike may have about the Church and what it teaches, we invite you to visit the online version of the Catechism of the Catholic Church.

PRAYER

Let us pray.

Prayer to St. Michael the Archangel

St. Michael the Archangel, defend us in battle.

Be our defense against the wickedness and snares of the Devil.

May God rebuke him, we humbly pray, and do thou, O Prince of the heavenly hosts, by the power of God, thrust into hell Satan, and all the evil spirits, who prowl about the world seeking the ruin of souls.

Amen.