Follow the Lamb: Rediscovering the Biblical Story of the Mass

From Catholic Exchange:

Jesus came to earth to become both perfect Priest and Victim, and so at St. Mary’s our eyes move from the statue of the Infant Jesus, to the windows, back to the Infant Jesus, and then down to the altar, the sacred table on which the Church commemorates and re-presents His one, perfect Sacrifice at every Mass:

The presentation of the offerings at the altar takes up the gesture of Melchizedek and commits the Creator’s gifts into the hands of Christ who, in His sacrifice, brings to perfection all human attempts to offer sacrifices (Catechism, no. 1350, emphasis added).

Where did Christ first “take up” the gestures of Melchizedek, mysteriously offering His Body and Blood under the appearances of bread and wine? The Last Supper. What Christ first presented and anticipated at the Last Supper in mystery, and told us to continue “in memory” of Him, He also lived out on Calvary in history.

One, Divine, and Mysterious Sacrifice

This is the great “undertold” story of the Mass. The whole Church — the whole world — needs to know that the Last Supper was not simply a symbolic precursor of Christ’s redemptive suffering on Calvary. Rather, these two historical events actually encompass one, divine, and mysterious Sacrifice that impacts all of salvation history, and that is why we can continue — 2,000 years later — to “re-present” and celebrate that same Sacrifice at every Mass! (cf. Catechism, nos. 1366-67).

The Old Testament prefigures the sacrifice of Christ because God prepares his people throughout for Christ's sacrifice. While humanity can through reason know God, Only through God's revelation can humanity hope to have a relationship with him. Christ is God's final revelation of himself. That revelation is his mercy. When we least deserved to be his children, he called us his sons and daughters through the sacrifice on the cross of his own son, Jesus Christ. All of humanity required preparation to even hope to come to terms with this mystery.

Mr. Nash is right. The more Catholics understand the biblical foundations that reveal the fullness of Christs sacrifice, the better they participate in that Sacrifice during the celebration of the Eucharist. He offers sound instruction on securing this understanding. Read the whole thing.