Joseph Kenny OP: Readings Lent Monday 4

READINGS: LENT MONDAY IV

Invitatory Psalm & BACK

PSALMS and BACK
ἤγγικεν ἡ βασιλεία τοῦ θεοῦ: — μετανοεῖτε καὶ πιστεύετε ἐν τῷ εὐαγγελίῳ.
Even Years: Leviticus 16:2-28
וַיֹּאמֶר יְהוָה אֶל־מֹשֶׁה דַּבֵּר אֶל־אַהֲרֹן אָחִיךָ וְאַל־יָבֹא בְכָל־עֵת אֶל־הַקֹּדֶשׁ מִבֵּית לַפָּרֹכֶת אֶל־פְּנֵי הַכַּפֹּרֶת אֲשֶׁר עַל־הָאָרֹן וְלֹא יָמוּת כִּי בֶּעָנָן אֵרָאֶה עַל־הַכַּפֹּרֶת׃
בְּזֹאת יָבֹא אַהֲרֹן אֶל־הַקֹּדֶשׁ בְּפַר בֶּן־בָּקָר לְחַטָּאת וְאַיִל לְעֹלָה׃ כְּתֹנֶת־בַּד קֹדֶשׁ יִלְבָּשׁ וּמִכְנְסֵי־בַד יִהְיוּ עַל־בְּשָׂרוֹ וּבְאַבְנֵט בַּד יַחְגֹּר וּבְמִצְנֶפֶת בַּד יִצְנֹף בִּגְדֵי־קֹדֶשׁ הֵם וְרָחַץ בַּמַּיִם אֶת־בְּשָׂרוֹ וּלְבֵשָׁם׃
וּמֵאֵת עֲדַת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל יִקַּח שְׁנֵי־שְׂעִירֵי עִזִּים לְחַטָּאת וְאַיִל אֶחָד לְעֹלָה׃ וְהִקְרִיב אַהֲרֹן אֶת־פַּר הַחַטָּאת אֲשֶׁר־לוֹ וְכִפֶּר בַּעֲדוֹ וּבְעַד בֵּיתוֹ׃ וְלָקַח אֶת־שְׁנֵי הַשְּׂעִירִם וְהֶעֱמִיד אֹתָם לִפְנֵי יְהוָה פֶּתַח אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד׃ וְנָתַן אַהֲרֹן עַל־שְׁנֵי הַשְּׂעִירִם גּוֹרָלוֹת גּוֹרָל אֶחָד לַיהוָה וְגוֹרָל אֶחָד לַעֲזָאזֵל׃ וְהִקְרִיב אַהֲרֹן אֶת־הַשָּׂעִיר אֲשֶׁר עָלָה עָלָיו הַגּוֹרָל לַיהוָה וְעָשָׂהוּ חַטָּאת׃ וְהַשָּׂעִיר אֲשֶׁר עָלָה עָלָיו הַגּוֹרָל לַעֲזָאזֵל יָעֳמַד־חַי לִפְנֵי יְהוָה לְכַפֵּר עָלָיו לְשַׁלַּח אֹתוֹ לַעֲזָאזֵל הַמִּדְבָּרָה׃
וְהִקְרִיב אַהֲרֹן אֶת־פַּר הַחַטָּאת אֲשֶׁר־לוֹ וְכִפֶּר בַּעֲדוֹ וּבְעַד בֵּיתוֹ וְשָׁחַט אֶת־פַּר הַחַטָּאת אֲשֶׁר־לוֹ׃ וְלָקַח מְלֹא־הַמַּחְתָּה גַּחֲלֵי־אֵשׁ מֵעַל הַמִּזְבֵּחַ מִלִּפְנֵי יְהוָה וּמְלֹא חָפְנָיו קְטֹרֶת סַמִּים דַּקָּה וְהֵבִיא מִבֵּית לַפָּרֹכֶת׃ וְנָתַן אֶת־הַקְּטֹרֶת עַל־הָאֵשׁ לִפְנֵי יְהוָה וְכִסָּה עֲנַן הַקְּטֹרֶת אֶת־הַכַּפֹּרֶת אֲשֶׁר עַל־הָעֵדוּת וְלֹא יָמוּת׃ וְלָקַח מִדַּם הַפָּר וְהִזָּה בְאֶצְבָּעוֹ עַל־פְּנֵי הַכַּפֹּרֶת קֵדְמָה וְלִפְנֵי הַכַּפֹּרֶת יַזֶּה שֶׁבַע־פְּעָמִים מִן־הַדָּם בְּאֶצְבָּעוֹ׃
וְשָׁחַט אֶת־שְׂעִיר הַחַטָּאת אֲשֶׁר לָעָם וְהֵבִיא אֶת־דָּמוֹ אֶל־מִבֵּית לַפָּרֹכֶת וְעָשָׂה אֶת־דָּמוֹ כַּאֲשֶׁר עָשָׂה לְדַם הַפָּר וְהִזָּה אֹתוֹ עַל־הַכַּפֹּרֶת וְלִפְנֵי הַכַּפֹּרֶת׃ וְכִפֶּר עַל־הַקֹּדֶשׁ מִטֻּמְאֹת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וּמִפִּשְׁעֵיהֶם לְכָל־חַטֹּאתָם
וְכֵן יַעֲשֶׂה לְאֹהֶל מוֹעֵד הַשֹּׁכֵן אִתָּם בְּתוֹךְ טֻמְאֹתָם׃ וְכָל־אָדָם לֹא־יִהְיֶה בְּאֹהֶל מוֹעֵד בְּבֹאוֹ לְכַפֵּר בַּקֹּדֶשׁ עַד־צֵאתוֹ וְכִפֶּר בַּעֲדוֹ וּבְעַד בֵּיתוֹ וּבְעַד כָּל־קְהַל יִשְׂרָאֵל׃ וְיָצָא אֶל־הַמִּזְבֵּחַ אֲשֶׁר לִפְנֵי־יְהוָה וְכִפֶּר עָלָיו וְלָקַח מִדַּם הַפָּר וּמִדַּם הַשָּׂעִיר וְנָתַן עַל־קַרְנוֹת הַמִּזְבֵּחַ סָבִיב׃ וְהִזָּה עָלָיו מִן־הַדָּם בְּאֶצְבָּעוֹ שֶׁבַע פְּעָמִים וְטִהֲרוֹ וְקִדְּשׁוֹ מִטֻּמְאֹת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל׃
וְכִלָּה מִכַּפֵּר אֶת־הַקֹּדֶשׁ וְאֶת־אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד וְאֶת־הַמִּזְבֵּחַ וְהִקְרִיב אֶת־הַשָּׂעִיר הֶחָי׃ וְסָמַךְ אַהֲרֹן אֶת־שְׁתֵּי יָדוֹ עַל רֹאשׁ הַשָּׂעִיר הַחַי וְהִתְוַדָּה עָלָיו אֶת־כָּל־עֲוֹנֹת בְּנֵי יִשְׂרָאֵל וְאֶת־כָּל־פִּשְׁעֵיהֶם לְכָל־חַטֹּאתָם וְנָתַן אֹתָם עַל־רֹאשׁ הַשָּׂעִיר וְשִׁלַּח בְּיַד־אִישׁ עִתִּי הַמִּדְבָּרָה׃
וְנָשָׂא הַשָּׂעִיר עָלָיו אֶת־כָּל־עֲוֹנֹתָם אֶל־אֶרֶץ גְּזֵרָה וְשִׁלַּח אֶת־הַשָּׂעִיר בַּמִּדְבָּר׃ וּבָא אַהֲרֹן אֶל־אֹהֶל מוֹעֵד וּפָשַׁט אֶת־בִּגְדֵי הַבָּד אֲשֶׁר לָבַשׁ בְּבֹאוֹ אֶל־הַקֹּדֶשׁ וְהִנִּיחָם שָׁם׃ וְרָחַץ אֶת־בְּשָׂרוֹ בַמַּיִם בְּמָקוֹם קָדוֹשׁ וְלָבַשׁ אֶת־בְּגָדָיו וְיָצָא וְעָשָׂה אֶת־עֹלָתוֹ וְאֶת־עֹלַת הָעָם וְכִפֶּר בַּעֲדוֹ וּבְעַד הָעָם׃ וְאֵת חֵלֶב הַחַטָּאת יַקְטִיר הַמִּזְבֵּחָה׃ וְהַמְשַׁלֵּחַ אֶת־הַשָּׂעִיר לַעֲזָאזֵל יְכַבֵּס בְּגָדָיו וְרָחַץ אֶת־בְּשָׂרוֹ בַּמָּיִם וְאַחֲרֵי־כֵן יָבוֹא אֶל־הַמַּחֲנֶה׃
וְאֵת פַּר הַחַטָּאת וְאֵת שְׂעִיר הַחַטָּאת אֲשֶׁר הוּבָא אֶת־דָּמָם לְכַפֵּר בַּקֹּדֶשׁ יוֹצִיא אֶל־מִחוּץ לַמַּחֲנֶה וְשָׂרְפוּ בָאֵשׁ אֶת־עֹרֹתָם וְאֶת־בְּשָׂרָם וְאֶת־פִּרְשָׁם׃ וְהַשֹּׂרֵף אֹתָם יְכַבֵּס בְּגָדָיו וְרָחַץ אֶת־בְּשָׂרוֹ בַּמָּיִם וְאַחֲרֵי־כֵן יָבוֹא אֶל־הַמַּחֲנֶה׃

2 Yahweh spoke to Moses and said: 'Tell Aaron your brother that he may not enter the sanctuary inside the curtain in front of the mercy-seat on the ark whenever he chooses, in case he incurs death, for I appear in a cloud on the mercy-seat.
3 This is how he must enter the sanctuary: with a young bull for a sacrifice for sin and a ram for a burnt offering. 4 He will put on a tunic of consecrated linen, wear linen drawers on his body, a linen waistband round his waist, and a linen turban on his head. These are the sacred vestments he will put on after washing himself.
5 From the community of Israelites he will receive two he-goats for a sacrifice for sin and a ram for a burnt offering. 6 After offering the bull as a sacrifice for his own sin and performing the rite of expiation for himself and his family, 7 he will take the two he-goats and place them before Yahweh at the entrance to the Tent of Meeting. 8 Aaron will then draw lots over the two goats, one lot to be for Yahweh and the other lot for Azazel. 9 Aaron will then take the goat on which the lot "For Yahweh" has fallen, and offer it as a sacrifice for sin. 10 But the goat on which the lot "For Azazel" has fallen, will be placed alive before Yahweh, for the rite of expiation to be performed with it, and for it then to be sent to Azazel in the desert.
11 Having offered the bull as a sacrifice for his own sin and performed the rite of expiation for himself and for his family, and slaughtered the bull as a sacrifice for sin, 12 Aaron will then fill a censer with live coals from the altar before Yahweh, take two handfuls of finely ground aromatic incense and bring this inside the curtain. 13 He will then put the incense on the fire before Yahweh, so that the cloud of incense hides the mercy-seat which is on the Testimony and he does not incur death. 14 He will then take some of the bull's blood and sprinkle it with his finger on the eastern side of the mercy-seat. He will sprinkle some of the blood seven times with his finger in front of the mercy-seat.
15 He will then slaughter the goat for the sacrifice for the sin of the people, and take its blood inside the curtain, and with this blood do as he did with the blood of the bull, sprinkling it on the mercy-seat and in front of it. 16 This is how he must perform the rite of expiation for the sanctuary for the uncleanness of the Israelites, for their acts of rebellion and all their sins.
And this is what he must do for the Tent of Meeting which remains with them, surrounded by their uncleanness. 17 No one must be inside the Tent of Meeting, from the moment he enters to make expiation in the sanctuary until the time he comes out. 'When he has made expiation for himself, for his family, and for the whole community of Israel, 18 he must come outside, go to the altar before Yahweh and perform the rite of expiation for it. He will take some of the bull's blood and some of the goat's blood and put it on the horns at the corners of the altar all around it, 19 and sprinkle some of the blood on it seven times with his finger, thus purifying it and setting it apart from the uncleanness of the Israelites.
20 Once expiation for the sanctuary, the Tent of Meeting and the altar is complete, he will bring the goat which is still alive. 21 Aaron will then lay both his hands on its head and over it confess all the guilt of the Israelites, all their acts of rebellion and all their sins. Having thus laid them on the goat's head, he will send it out into the desert under the charge of a man waiting ready,
22 and the goat will bear all their guilt away into some desolate place. 'When he has sent the goat into the desert, 23 Aaron will go back into the Tent of Meeting and take off the linen vestments which he wore to enter the sanctuary and leave them there. 24 He will then wash his body inside the holy place, put on his vestments and come outside to offer his own and the people's burnt offering. He will perform the rite of expiation for himself and for the people, 25 and burn the fat of the sacrifice for sin on the altar. 26 'The man who led the goat away to Azazel will wash his clothes and body before entering the camp.
27 The bull and the goat offered as a sacrifice for sin, the blood of which was taken into the sanctuary for the rite of expiation, must be taken outside the camp, where their skin, meat and offal are to be burnt. 28 The man who burns them will wash his clothes and body before entering the camp.
Odd Years: Hebrews 7:14-28
            πρόδηλον γὰρ ὅτι ἐξ Ἰούδα ἀνατέταλκεν ὁ κύριος ἡμῶν,
            εἰς ἣν φυλὴν περὶ ἱερέων οὐδὲν Μωϋσῆς ἐλάλησεν.
            καὶ περισσότερον ἔτι κατάδηλόν ἐστιν,
            εἰ κατὰ τὴν ὁμοιότητα Μελχισέδεκ ἀνίσταται ἱερεὺς ἕτερος,
            ὃς οὐ κατὰ νόμον ἐντολῆς σαρκίνης γέγονεν
            ἀλλὰ κατὰ δύναμιν ζωῆς ἀκαταλύτου,
            μαρτυρεῖται γὰρ ὅτι σὺ ἱερεὺς εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα κατὰ τὴν τάξιν Μελχισέδεκ.

      ἀθέτησις μὲν γὰρ γίνεται προαγούσης ἐντολῆς
      διὰ τὸ αὐτῆς ἀσθενὲς καὶ ἀνωφελές,
      οὐδὲν γὰρ ἐτελείωσεν ὁ νόμος,
      ἐπεισαγωγὴ δὲ κρείττονος ἐλπίδος, δι' ἧς ἐγγίζομεν τῷ θεῷ.
            καὶ καθ' ὅσον οὐ χωρὶς ὁρκωμοσίας,
            οἱ μὲν γὰρ χωρὶς ὁρκωμοσίας εἰσὶν ἱερεῖς γεγονότες,
            ὁ δὲ μετὰ ὁρκωμοσίας διὰ τοῦ λέγοντος πρὸς αὐτόν,
            ὤμοσεν κύριος, καὶ οὐ μεταμεληθήσεται, σὺ ἱερεὺς εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα,
            κατὰ τοσοῦτο καὶ κρείττονος διαθήκης γέγονεν ἔγγυος Ἰησοῦς.
      καὶ οἱ μὲν πλείονές εἰσιν γεγονότες ἱερεῖς διὰ τὸ θανάτῳ κωλύεσθαι παραμένειν:
      ὁ δὲ διὰ τὸ μένειν αὐτὸν εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα ἀπαράβατον ἔχει τὴν ἱερωσύνην:
      ὅθεν καὶ σῴζειν εἰς τὸ παντελὲς δύναται τοὺς προσερχομένους δι' αὐτοῦ τῷ θεῷ,
      πάντοτε ζῶν εἰς τὸ ἐντυγχάνειν ὑπὲρ αὐτῶν.
τοιοῦτος γὰρ ἡμῖν καὶ ἔπρεπεν ἀρχιερεύς,
ὅσιος, ἄκακος, ἀμίαντος, κεχωρισμένος ἀπὸ τῶν ἁμαρτωλῶν,
καὶ ὑψηλότερος τῶν οὐρανῶν γενόμενος:
ὃς οὐκ ἔχει καθ' ἡμέραν ἀνάγκην, ὥσπερ οἱ ἀρχιερεῖς,
πρότερον ὑπὲρ τῶν ἰδίων ἁμαρτιῶν θυσίας ἀναφέρειν, ἔπειτα τῶν τοῦ λαοῦ:
τοῦτο γὰρ ἐποίησεν ἐφάπαξ ἑαυτὸν ἀνενέγκας.
ὁ νόμος γὰρ ἀνθρώπους καθίστησιν ἀρχιερεῖς ἔχοντας ἀσθένειαν,
ὁ λόγος δὲ τῆς ὁρκωμοσίας τῆς μετὰ τὸν νόμον υἱὸν εἰς τὸν αἰῶνα τετελειωμένον.
14 Everyone knows our Lord came from Judah, a tribe which Moses did not mention at all when dealing with priests. 15 This becomes even more clearly evident if another priest, of the type of Melchizedek, arises who is a priest 16 not in virtue of a law of physical descent, but in virtue of the power of an indestructible life. 17 For he is attested by the prophecy: You are a priest for ever of the order of Melchizedek. 18 The earlier commandment is thus abolished, because of its weakness and ineffectiveness 19 since the Law could not make anything perfect; but now this commandment is replaced by something better-the hope that brings us close to God. 20 Now the former priests became priests without any oath being sworn, 21 but this one with the swearing of an oath by him who said to him, The Lord has sworn an oath he will never retract: you are a priest for ever; 22 the very fact that it occurred with the swearing of an oath makes the covenant of which Jesus is the guarantee all the greater. 23 Further, the former priests were many in number, because death put an end to each one of them; 24 but this one, because he remains for ever, has a perpetual priesthood. 25 It follows, then, that his power to save those who come to God through him is absolute, since he lives for ever to intercede for them. 26 Such is the high priest that met our need, holy, innocent and uncontaminated, set apart from sinners, and raised up above the heavens; 27 he has no need to offer sacrifices every day, as the high priests do, first for their own sins and only then for those of the people; this he did once and for all by offering himself. 28 The Law appoints high priests who are men subject to weakness; but the promise on oath, which came after the Law, appointed the Son who is made perfect for ever.

Even Years: Origen, Homily 9 on Leviticus, 5,10 (PG 12, 515,523—no Greek)
Semel enim in anno pontifex populum derelinquens, ingreditur ad illum locum ubi est repropitiatorium, et super repropitiatorium cherubim, ubi est et arca testamenti, et altare incensi, quo nulli introire fas est, nisi pontifici soli.
Si ergo considerem verum pontificem meum Dominum Iesum Christum, quomodo in carne quidem positus, per totum annum erat cum populo, annum illum, de quo ipse dicit: Evangelizare pauperibus misit me, et vocare annum Domini acceptum, et diem remissionis, adverte quomodo semel in anno isto, in die repropitiationis intrat in Sancta sanctorum, hoc est, cum impleta dispensatione penetrat coelos, et intrat ad Patrem, ut eum propitium humano generi faciat, et exoret pro omnibus credentibus in se.
Hanc repropitiationem eius qua hominibus repropitiat Patrem, sciens Ioannes apostolus dicit: Haec dico, filioli, ut non peccemus. Quod et si peccaverimus, advocatum habemus apud Patrem, Iesum Christum, iustum, et ipse est repropitiatio pro peccatis nostris.
Sed et Paulus similiter de hac repropitiatione commemorat, cum dicit de Christo: Quem posuit Deus propitiatorem in sanguine ipsius per fidem.
Igitur dies propitiationis manet nobis usquequo occidat sol, id est usquequo finem mundus accipiat
Ait ergo eloquium divinum: Et imponet incensum super ignem in conspectu Domini, et operiet fumus incensi propitiatorium quod est super testimonia, et non morietur, et sumet de sanguine vituli, et resperget digito suo super propitiatorium contra orientem.
Ritus quidem apud veteres propitiationis pro hominibus, qui liebat ad Deum, qualiter celebraretur edocuit: sed tu qui ad Christum venisti, pontificem verum, qui sanguine suo Deum tibi propitium fecit, et reconciliavit te Patri, non haereas in sanguine carnis; sed disce potius sanguinem Verbi, et audi ipsum tibi dicentem, quia hic sanguis meus est, qui pro vobis efundetur in remissionem peccatorum
Quod autem contra orientem respergit, non otiose accipias. Ab oriente tibi propitiatio venit. Inde est enim vir, cui Oriens nomen est, qui mediator Dei et hominum factus est. Invitaris ergo per hoc, ut ad orientem semper aspicias, unde tibi oritur sol iustitiae, unde semper tibi lumen nascitur: ut nunquam in tenebris ambules, neque dies ille novissimus te in tenebris comprehendat: ne tibi ignorantiae nox et caligo subrepat, sed ut semper in scientiae luce verseris, semper habeas diem fidei, semper lumen charitatis et pacis obtineas.
Odd Years: Fulgentius of Ruspe, Treatise on the true faith of Peter, 22:62 (CCL 91A, 726.750-751)
Nam et in sacrificiis carnalium uictimarum, quae sibi ipsa sancta trinitas, quae unus est deus noui et ueteris testamenti, a patribus nostris praecipiebat offerri, illius sacrificii significabatur gratissimum munus, quo pro nobis seipsum solus deus filius secundum carnem esset misericorditer oblaturus. The sacrifices of animal victims which were imposed on our forefathers by the Holy Trinity itself, the one God of the Old and New Testaments, foreshadowed the most acceptable gift of all. This was the offering which in his compassion the only Son of God would make of himself in his human nature for our sake.
Ipse enim, secundum apostolicam doctrinam, obtulit semetipsum pro nobis oblationem et hostiam deo in odorem suauitatis. Ipse uerus deus et uerus pontifex, qui pro nobis non in sanguine taurorum et hircorum, sed in sanguine suo semel introiuit in sancta. Quod tunc pontifex ille significabat, qui cum sanguine in sancta sanctorum per annos singulos introibat. The Apostle teaches that Christ offered himself for us to God as a fragrant offering and sacrifice. He is the true God and the true High Priest who for our sake entered once for all into the Holy of Holies, taking with him not the blood of bulls and goats but his own blood. This was foreshadowed by the High Priest of old when each year he took blood and entered the Holy of Holies.
Iste igitur est qui in se uno totum exhibuit quod esse necessarium ad redemptionis nostrae sciebat effectum, idem scilicet sacerdos et sacrificium, idem deus et templum; sacerdos, per quem sumus reconciliati; sacrificium, quo reconciliati; templum, in quo reconciliati; deus cui reconciliati. Christ is therefore the one who in himself alone embodied all that he knew to be necessary to achieve our redemption. He is at once priest and sacrifice, God and temple. He is the priest through whom we have been reconciled, the sacrifice by which we have been reconciled, the temple in which we have been reconciled, the God with whom we have been reconciled.
Solus tamen sacerdos, sacrificium et templum, quia haec omnia deus secundum formam serui; non autem solus deus quia hoc cum patre et spiritu sancto secundum formam dei. Reconciliati sumus igitur per solum filium secundum carnem, sed non soli filio secundum diuinitatem He alone is priest, sacrifice, and temple because he is all these things as God in the form of a servant; but he is not alone as God, for he shares the divine nature with the Father and the Holy Spirit. [So we are reconciled through the Son alone according to his flesh, but not to the Son alone according to his divinity.]
Firmissime tene et nullatenus dubites, ipsum unigenitum deum verbum carnem factum, se pro nobis obtulisse sacrificium et hostiam deo in odorem suauitatis; cui cum patre et spiritu sancto a patriarchis et prophetis et sacerdotibus, tempore ueteris testamenti animalia sacrificabantur; et cui nunc, id est tempore noui testamenti, cum patre et spiritu sancto, cum quibus illi est una diuinitas, sacrificium panis et uini, in fide et caritate sancta catholica ecclesia per uniuersum orbem terrae offerre non cessat. Hold fast to this and never doubt it: the only-begotten Son, God the Word, becoming man offered himself for us to God as a fragrant offering and sacrifice. In the time of the Old Testament, patriarchs, prophets, and priests sacrificed animals in honour of the Son as well as the Father and the Holy Spirit. Now in the time of the New Testament the holy Catholic Church throughout the world never ceases to offer the sacrifice of bread and wine, in faith and love, to him and to the Father and the Holy Spirit, with whom he shares one Godhead.
In illis enim carnalibus uictimis, significatio fuit carnis christi, quam pro peccatis nostris ipse sine peccato fuerat oblaturus et sanguinis quem erat effusurus in remissionem peccatorum nostrorum; in isto autem sacrificio, gratiarum actio atque commemoratio est carnis christi, quam pro nobis obtulit et sanguinis quem pro nobis idem deus effudit. De quo beatus paulus dicit in actibus apostolorum: attendite uobis et uniuerso gregi, in quo uos spiritus sanctus posuit episcopos regere ecclesiam dei quam acquisiuit sanguine suo. In those ancient victims the body and blood of Christ were prefigured: the body which the sinless one would offer as propitiation for our sins, and the blood which he would pour out for our forgiveness. The Church's sacrifice, on the other hand, is an act of thanksgiving and a memorial of the body Christ has offered for us and the blood he has shed for us. With this in mind, blessed Paul says in the Acts of the Apostles: Keep watch over yourselves and over the whole flock, in which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as bishops to rule the Church of God, which he won for himself by his blood.
In illis ergo sacrificiis quid nobis esset donandum figurate significabatur; in hoc autem sacrificio quid nobis iam donatum sit, euidenter ostenditur. Those sacrifices of old pointed in sign to what was to be given to us. In this sacrifice we see plainly what has already been given to us.
In illis sacrificiis praenuntiabatur filius dei pro impiis occidendus; in hoc autem pro impiis annuntiatur occisus, testante apostolo quia christus, cum adhuc infirmi essemus secundum tempus, pro impiis mortuus est, et quia cum inimici essemus, reconciliati sumus deo per mortem filii eius. Those sacrifices foretold the death of the Son of God for sinners. Here he is proclaimed as already slain for sinners, as the Apostle testifies: Christ died for the wicked at a time when we were still powerless, and when we were enemies we were reconciled with God through the death of his Son.

Prayer