One eternal moment (Holy Thursday)

 A few years ago, I made a pilgrimage to the Holy Land,

and I had the awesome privilege of walking the streets of Jerusalem 

along the real, original Way of the Cross;

And I was able to be at the place of the Last Supper, 

and the Garden of Gethsemane and Golgotha, and the empty tomb.

I was with other priests, and we had Mass – at Calvary! Right there!

Now, because it is God’s work and not merely a human work,

The Mass is the Mass is the Mass, wherever and whenever.

Every single Mass brings us to Calvary – every single one.

Nevertheless, when you and I come to this evening, this time of year, 

if we realize what we’re doing, there is something electric about it.

All of Lent has been a journey to this moment. 

We have prayed, fasted and shared our blessings with others, 

so that we, like the Apostles, 

can prepare to celebrate the Passover with the Lord.

Normally the Passover was celebrated as a family event; 

instead, Jesus was keeping the Passover with these chosen men. 

No one else was present.

The Passover, remember, was first celebrated in Egypt.

God’s People were slaves; and on the night of the Passover, 

God executed judgment against Egypt, and Israel left in haste.

But in order to understand fully the Sacrifice of the Mass, 

it helps to recall what happens when God brings his People to Mt. Sinai.

There, God instructs Moses not only in the Ten Commandments, 

but also in all the details of worship: 

how the place of worship was to be arranged, the altar constructed, 

and how the sacrifices are to be offered.

After all this, Moses leads the elders of Israel up Sinai, 

to ratify the covenant. And the Scripture says, 

“They saw God, and they ate and drank” the sacrifice.

Think about that in relation to the Last Supper – and the Mass:

“They saw God and they ate and drank.”

Did you ever wonder why the altar is traditionally elevated?

As at Sinai, we go up to see God.

In a few minutes, at this altar, as your priest and on your behalf,

I will address the God of Sinai.

And when you and I sing, “Holy, Holy, Holy,” 

we are joining armies of angels adoring Almighty God;

the same angels who beheld Calvary happen with amazement.

When some of us were kids, there was a TV show, “You are there,” 

and it took you back to some moment in the past.

But this is way beyond any TV show.

You and I, brothers and sisters, really are there!

At Calvary, and in heaven, all at once.

So listen to the Eucharistic Prayer in a few minutes.

This is the prayer that comes from the early Church.

At a certain point, the priest says, “Graciously accept this oblation” –

what is an oblation? 

An oblation is an offering of food and wine, from the people to God.

It stands for you. You, and your prayers, works, joys and sufferings, 

go to the altar in that bread and wine.

The priest extends his hands like this. 

That is meant to suggest a dove – that is, the Holy Spirit.

In the Old Testament, God’s Fire would come down upon the sacrifice. 

On the Day of Pentecost, God’s Fire came down upon the Church.

In the Mass, it is the Holy Spirit that makes our human offerings

“become for us the Body and Blood of [the] beloved Son, Jesus Christ.”

The priest then recalls the words of Jesus at the Last Supper.

Realize: every word of this prayer is addressed to God.

Of course, you are listening, but it’s not you I’m speaking to;

And at a certain point, it isn’t exactly me, but really Jesus, who speaks.

At the Last Supper, Jesus’ disciples would not have been surprised 

had the Lord pointed to the body of the lamb – on the table – 

to talk about covenant and sacrifice.

But that’s not what happened.

Jesus took up, not the lamb, but rather, bread and the wine, and said:

This is my Body, given for you, this is my Blood, 

of the new and eternal covenant – eat and drink!

This was new. No one had ever done that before.

Then on the Cross, he completes the sacrifice.

He takes a last sip of wine, offered on a sponge and says, 

“It is finished.”

And after the Resurrection, he showed himself alive,

and that’s when the Apostles understood; our Holy Mass is the result.

We do this sacrifice, as he commanded, in memory of Him.

Notice the priest lifts up the Body, and then the Blood.

This is a Sacrifice: Christ offers himself to the Father.

And it isn’t merely past – it is now and eternal.

Jesus is the eternal High Priest.

Also, the separation of body and blood recalls his death.

When the priest later puts a part of the Sacred Host into the chalice,

That signifies Christ’s Body and Blood being “together” – 

pointing to his Resurrection.

After you sing, recognizing the mystery of faith before you,

you hear the priest beg the Father 

to accept this “pure victim, this holy victim.”

We know, of course, that the Father will accept this Sacrifice;

yet this summarizes the whole drama of salvation.

Without that acceptance, without Jesus, none of us can be saved. 

This moment – I mean, tonight; and I mean, the Mass; 

and, the Upper Room and Calvary and the Resurrection,

and heaven when all is complete –

this is all one eternal “moment” made present at Mass,

and it is the pivot point of all history.

Tonight, you and I are there. 

The Blood of the Lamb protects us. 

The flesh of the Lamb is our salvation.