33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time: Old Testament vs. New Testament Priesthood

Today's 2nd reading from the Letter to the Hebrews says this: "Every priest stands daily at his ministry, offering frequently those same sacrifices that can never take away sins." The author is not referring to priests of the New Covenant here but rather the Temple priests who would assist day after day in animal sacrifice being offered in atonement for sin. The point is that the offering of these thousands of animals over the course of many years did not accomplish its stated purpose. Rather, it was only when Jesus Christ, the true high priest, offered himself on the altar of the cross that the forgiveness of sins and reconciliation with God was finally achieved, once and for all. Now, priests of the New Covenant stand by their altar day after day offering the Mass, which is the re-presentation of Christ's sacrifice on the cross. The Mass transports us back through space and time to the Cross and makes Christ's sacrifice present to us here and now. Why would we ever stay home from Mass?

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