Triduum Reflection: Eucharist and Sacrifice, Who is Being Changed?

Today the Triduum begins as we focus on the Paschal Meal of our Saviour with his disciples. When thinking about the Mass and its implications for our daily lives, we have the potential of getting our theology a bit off by our devotional expressions. This was truly the case in some Medieval expressions of our required devotions to the Body and Blood of Christ really present in the consecrated Eucharistic species. Below, I have written a couple of entries on transubstantiation and what that does and does not mean with regards to the sacrament. In this brief entry, I want to say something about the Sacrifice of the Mass and who is being changed by it. The confusion amongst our Protestant friends is that Jesus inevitably suffers again and because of the reality of transubstantiation he 'must' suffer again as a result of our teachings of the Mass. This is so far from the truth and no matter how many times Catholic teaching denied this in the Reformation period, Protestants simply could not get their heads around it. Sometimes, we Catholics, struggle too because of the wonderful mystery that this teaching sets forth.

So, the first question, 'Does the sacrifice of the Mass teach that Jesus is being put back on the Cross anew every time we celebrate the sacred mystery?' Aquinas writes,

The Sacrifice which is offered every day in the Church is not distinct from that which Christ Himself offered, but is a commemoration thereof. Wherefore Augustine says (De Civ. Dei x. 20): Christ himself both is the priest who offers it and the victim: the sacred token of which He wished to be the daily Sacrifice of the Church.

When one explores this teaching throughout the time of the Fathers, it is abundantly clear that the sacrifice of the Mass and the sacrifice of the Cross are one and the very same sacrifice, not a new sacrifice in the sense that Jesus daily walks to Calvary. Aquinas goes on to say,

But the fact that we offer the sacrifice every day seems to contradict the statement that it is not repeated. I answer that we do not offer something different from what Christ offered for us, namely, His blood; hence, it is not a distinct oblation, but a commemoration of that sacrifice which Christ offered: "Do this in commemoration of me." (Luke 22:19) Commentary on the Epistle to the Hebrews

The priest never acts alone in offering the Sacrifice but with the Body of the faithful. As Matthew Levering stated in his book Sacrifice and Community, "As an expiatory sacrifice, the Eucharist not only provides for communicants the "daily bread" whose fruits cleanse us of our "daily defects," but also extends its salvific influence to all those who are united in Christ's Mystical Body."

So, if Christ, who is truly made present in the sacrament but not changed from his heavenly glorified reality in any way by the act of consecration and oblation, who is changed in the sacrament of the Sacrifice? The short answer is, 'we are.' Levering states it better than I can so I conclude with a quotation from him.

Christ in the Eucharist is not drawn into the present, but rather draws the present into his heavenly reality. Even though we can rightly say that the consecration of the sacrament makes the whole Christ present to us in the sacrament, nonetheless it is we, not Christ, who are changed by the sacrament of the Eucharist. Thus in participating in Christ's sacrificial body and blood, we participate in the power or redemptive effect of his sacrifice - that is, the reconciling grace that accomplishes charity in us.

As we enter into the Triduum and contemplate the initial self-offering of Christ in the sacrificial meal with his disciples on the night of his betrayal, may we give thanks for the One who, in his priestly service is, priest and victim on our behalf. Here we experience anew tonight the fulfillment of the law of love. May the Mass have its charitable effect upon us anew today!