The Mass: Tradition of Men or true Christian Worship

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The True Presence of Christ in the Eucharist veiled in bread and wine by the power of the Holy Spirit through the apostolic priesthood is a fundamental belief of Catholics and Eastern Orthodox traditions. Saint Ambrose explains this possibility saying, "If the word of the Lord Jesus is so powerful as to bring into existence things which were not, then a fortiori those things which already exist can be changed into something else".[1] Those who disagree with this belief believe the Mass to be true paganism. I wholeheartedly recognize this logic as valid. However, I disagree with both the initial premise and thus its conclusion. Scott Hahn, a Presbyterian preacher turned Catholic evangelist, writes a book called The Lamb's Supper. In this book, he recounts his story of conversion to the Catholic faith, beginning with his first Mass attendance.  He speaks of the Biblical sources of each part of the Mass and speaks about Revelation outside of the Protestant understanding of the book of Revelation. If you wish to thoroughly research this issue, I firmly recommend you read his book. I will point out a few fundamental qualities of the Mass which make it completely scriptural, apostolic, and prayed in obedience to Christ's commands. However, by no means is this an all-encompassing analysis of the matter. 

All New Covenant sacraments are prefigured in Old Testament scriptures[2]: For the Mass, temple worship, in general, is a prefigurement. The bread and wine used by Melchizadek[3]; The manna come down from heaven in the desert[4]; the town of Jesus's birth is called Bethlehem (Beit Lechem) meaning "house of bread"[5]; him being laid in a manger (wooden feed trough)[6]; and all this culminating in His words, "I am the bread of life"[7] In terms of the New Testament the saintly authors often speak of receiving the body and blood of Christ and the breaking of bread.[8] Furthermore, in the multiplication of the loaves, the Last Supper, and the road to Emmaus, Jesus uses the same actions (takes, bless, broke, and bestow). The Supper with Jesus following the walk to Emmaus, the Apostles recognized him in the "breaking of bread".

"As early as the second century we have the witness of St. Justin Martyr for the basic lines of the order of the Eucharistic celebration. They have stayed the same until our own day for all the great liturgical families. St. Justin wrote to the pagan emperor Antoninus Pius (138-161) around the year 155, explaining what Christians did."[9] Justin includes the unchangeable parts of the mass from the readings from scripture, the prayers of the faithful, and even to the Eucharistic rites. 

 The celebration of the Mass is one of the few things that the Church has been unfailingly and frequently obedient to, in regard to the commands of Christ. As he says, "Do this in remembrance of me".[10] The root word for remembrance is anamnesis which means to make present once again.[11] In the Mass, we are raised to heaven through the sacrifice of Calvary.[12] Through re-presentation, all receivers of the Most Holy Eucharist are united to Christ and thus each other.[13] 

Our "Paschal Lamb has been sacrificed".[14] Free from defilement, let us eat of his flesh and drink of His blood.[15]

FN:
  1. Saint Ambrose, De Sacramentis, IV, 5-16. (http://www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/the-mass/order-of-mass/liturgy-of-the-eucharist/the-real-presence-of-jesus-christ-in-the-sacrament-of-the-eucharist-basic-questions-and-answers.cfm)
  2. CCC 128
  3. Genesis 14:18; cf. CCC 1333-1336
  4. Exodus 16:15, Leviticus 2:6, cf. Hebrews 5
  5. Adminfgx, “Bethlehem - The House of Bread,” Clarens, October 23, 2015, https://clarens.co.za/2015/10/23/bethlehem-the-house-of-bread/.
  6. CCC 563
  7. John 6:53
  8. Acts 2:42-46, Acts 20:11, 1 Corinthians 10:16-17, 1 Corinthians 11:24-2, 
  9. CCC 1345
  10. Luke 22:19–20; Matthew 26:26–28; Mark 14:22–24; 1 Corinthians 11:23–25
  11. CCC 1093-4, 1103, 1333, 1362, 1366
  12. Ibid.
  13. CCC 1369
  14. 1 Corinthians 5:7, cf. Isaiah 53, John 1:29
  15. Revelation 19:6-9, 1 Corinthians 10:16-17, Revelation 5, Exodus 12
I am a Theology major attending Holy Apostles College and Seminary. I am a Knight of Columbus and a Newman Ambassador for Pius XII Newman Center.

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