The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass: A Triple Comparison


What is the Mass?

The Traditional Catholic Doctrine

The Doctrine of Martin Luther on the Mass

The new teaching in the
Catholic Church

“The Mass is the sacrifice of the New Law, in which Christ, through the ministry of the priest, offers Himself for us as a victim to His heavenly Father.” (Traditional Catechism) The Sacrifice of the Mass is the same Sacrifice as the Sacrifice of Calvary.

  • The emphasis is on the Passion of Christ. Mass is always offered on an altar, or at least on an altar-stone, in which there are relics of holy Martyrs who shed their blood for Our Lord. There is always a Cross over the Altar to recall Calvary. There are many signs of the Cross from beginning to end to recall the Sacrifice of the Cross.
  • There is frequent use of words expressing the propitiatory (or expiatory) nature of this sacrifice: such as the words: immaculatam Hostiam¾spotless Victim (Offertory),  propitiabile - that it may be a propitiation (Placeat)
  • There is used a sacred language, Latin, to express better tile mystery.

 

 

From his guiding principle that salvation comes from faith and confidence in God alone, and not from good works, Luther denies the nature and value of the sacrificial act which is the Sacrifice of the Mass.  For him, the Mass is a sacrifice of praise, that is an act of praise, of thanksgiving, but most certainly not an expiatory sacrifice which makes present the Sacrifice of Calvary and applies its merits.

‘The principal expression of their cult, the Mass, surpasses all impiety and abomination in that they make of it a sacrifice and a good work. Were this the only reason to leave habit and convent and abandon the vows, it would be amply sufficient’. (Mgr. L. Christiani, From Lutheranism to Protestantism, 1910, p. 258.  All other quotes of Luther are also from this book). 

The Mass is firstly the Liturgy of the Word, and secondly a Communion

  • What recalls the Passion is removed: Altars replaced by tables; crucifixes, altar stones, relics of Martyrs are removed.  The emphasis is on the fact that Christ has paid the debt for all. 
  • Abolition of the Offertory of the Mass, which expresses unequivocally the propitiatory and expiatory aims of the Sacrifice.
  • Similarly, abolition of a major part of the Canon, retaining only the essential passages as a narrative of Christ's Last Supper. To emphasize the historical aspect of the Mass, Luther added to the formula of the Consecration of the bread the words quod pro vobis tradetur—which will be given up for you, and deleted both mysterium fidei—the mystery of faith, and pro multis—for many.
  • He considered that the passages which both immediately precede and follow the actual Consecration of the bread and Wine were essential.
  • No more Latin: "With respect in the Eucharist, since it ought first and foremost to move one to the Faith, it is fitting that it be celebrated in the vernacular in order that all may comprehend the grandeur of God's promise to man”.

“The Lord's Supper or Mass is the sacred assembly or congregation of the people of God gathering together, with a priest presiding, to celebrate the memorial of the Lord. For this reason Christ's promise applies supremely to such a local gathering together of the Church: Where two or three come together in My name, there I am in their midst. (Mt.18,20)” (General Instruction of the New Mass, art.7)

  • The emphasis is now on the memorial of Lord's Supper, the community gathering, meal, the Pascal Mystery.
  • The emphasis is on the Resurrection, on universal salvation. The old altars in most places have been replaced by tables, the relics of the Martyrs have been eliminated. A great number of signs of the Cross have been suppressed.  The Crucifixes themselves have disappeared from many altars.
    •
  • The Offertory prayers have been greatly simplified. Words and prayers expressing that the Mass is a propitiatory Sacrifice have been either eliminated or attenuated. The Suscipe of the Offertory and Placeat before the last Blessing have been suppressed. (These prayers had been added at a time when people were denying the sacrificial nature of the Mass. Why suppress them now?)

    • Insistence on the narrative or historical aspect of the Institution of the Eucharist.
    • The vernacular day to day language has replaced the Latin.

 

.What is offered at Mass?

The Traditional Catholic Doctrine

The Doctrine of Martin Luther on the Mass

The new teaching in the
Catholic Church

  • The Mass being the same sacrifice as the Sacrifice of Calvary requires then the same Victim, really, truly and substantially present.
  • "Inthe Blessed Eucharist Jesus Christ is present, whole and entire, body and blood, soul and divinity, under the appearance of bread and under the appearance of wine, which change the Church call transubstantiation.” (Traditional Catechism)
  • The Real Presence is manifested by the required genuflections.
  • The Sacred Vessels must be gilded inside.
  • The priest holds his index and thumb together after having touched the Sacred Host to protect eucharistic particles, until the ablutions.
  • Only Sacred Ministers (Priests and Deacons) can distribute Holy Communion.  Communion is given kneeling and on the tongue. A Communion plate is used to gather the particles which frequently fall off the sacred species. Communion-rails are covered with a rail-cloth.
  • When a Sacred Host falls on the ground the priest picks it up and wipes the spot where the Host fell with water and a purificator.
  • The Mass being reduced to a simple memorial, there is no longer need of a real substantial presence of the victim.  The substance of the bread remains. Consequently, in the words of his disciple Melanchton, who strongly opposed the adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, "Christ instituted the Eucharist as a memorial of His Passion. To adore it is therefore idolatry".

As a result, the Protestants gradually abolished genuflections, and gave communion in the hand and under both species.  This reinforced the denial of the complete presence of Our Lord's Body and Blood in each specie.

  • The Mass seen as a memorial, the eucharistic presence of Christ becomes mainly a spiritual one, as mentioned in Art. 7 of the definition: “Christ's promise applies supremely to such a local gathering together of the Church: Where two or three come together in My name, there am I in their midst."(Mt. 18, 20)”  There is great insistence on the presence of Christ in the community itself, in the ‘People of God’.
  • There are few if any genuflections.
  • Any vessel can be used (pottery, glass, etc.) as chalices, ciborium.
  • Anyone can handle the Blessed Sacrament, whether ordained or not, men or women. Communion is received standing and in the hand. Communion-rails are not used but destroyed:
  • No attention whatsoever is given to sacred particles of the Hosts that remain in people's hands or on the ground when a Host falls.

 

.

Who offers the Mass?

.

The Traditional Catholic Doctrine

The Doctrine of Martin Luther on the Mass

The new teaching in the
Catholic Church

  • Only "the priests of the Church have power to change bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Christ because they have received this power from Christ through the Apostles and their successors in every age.” (Traditional Catechism)
  • The Mass being the same sacrifice as the Sacrifice of Calvary requires therefore the same Priest: Christ Himself.  By His Divine will, He shares His priestly power with a few men chosen by Himself in and only through the sacrament of Holy Orders. The Church is composed of clerics and non-clerics.

The ceremonies of the Mass prove this:

  • The consecration is said in silence to show that it is by his personal priestly power and not in the name of the congregation that the priest consecrates.
  • The priest genuflects immediately after the words of consecration, before the elevation of the Host and of the Chalice, which means that the consecration has taken place before the elevation.
  • The priest celebrates the holy Mass whether alone or in the presence of a congregation and the Mass has the same infinite value.
  • The Tabernacle, on the altar, containing the Real Presence of Christ expresses the truth that it is really Christ who consecrates through the ministry of the ordained priest.
  • The priest celebrates facing the tabernacle, with his back to the congregation to show that he is merely an instrument in the hands of Christ the High Priest.
  • Luther wrote in An Open Letter to Christian Nobility, in 1520:

    “It is pure invention that pope, bishops, priests and monks are to be called the ‘spiritual estate’; and princes, lords, artisans, and farmers the ‘temporal estate’. That is indeed a fine bit of lying and hypocrisy. Yet no one should be frightened by it; and for this reason ? viz., that all Christians are truly of the ‘spiritual estate, and there is among them no difference at all but that of office… We are all one body, yet every member has its own work, where, by it, serves every other, all because we have one baptism, one Gospel, one faith, and are all alike Christians; for baptism, Gospel and faith alone make us ‘spiritual’ and a Christian people… Through baptism all of us are consecrated to the priesthood, as St. Peter says in I Peter 2:9, ‘Ye are a royal priesthood, a priestly kingdom.’ For if we had no higher consecration than pope or bishop gives, the consecration by pope or bishop would never make a priest, nor might anyone either say mass or preach a sermon or give absolution.

    Therefore when the bishop consecrates it is the same thing as if he, in the place and stead of the whole congregation, all of whom have like power, were to take one out of their number and charge him to use this power for the others; just as though ten brothers, all king's sons and equal heirs, were to choose one of themselves to rule the inheritance for them all, -- they would all be kings and equal in power, though one of them would be charged with the duty of ruling.

    Since, then, the temporal authorities are baptized with the same baptism and have the same faith and Gospel as we, we must grant that they are priests and bishops, and count their office one which has a proper and a useful place in the Christian community.

    For whoever comes out the water of baptism can boast that he is already consecrated priest, bishop and pope, though it does not seem that every one should exercise the office.
  • It was from this doctrine that Luther concluded against both clerical dress and celibacy. He and his disciples, in fact, showed the way by marrying.
  • The emphasis being made on the memorial aspect of the Mass, the priest is presented as the president of the assembly.
  • Ordained priests are not strictly necessary to preside the liturgy (the Vatican has officially approved, on June 30,1988, ‘Sunday Assemblies without Priests’.)
  • The distinction between the clergy and the laity has been greatly diminished. The laity has taken over the sanctuary for the readings, sermons, offertory processions, distribution of Holy Communion.
  • The Eucharistic Prayers are said at loud voice to show that the priest speaks on behalf of the congregation.
  • Minor orders and the sub-diaconate have been abolished.
  • A married diaconate, has contributed to the purely
    administrative conception of the priest, to the detriment of his essentially priestly character. Thus, now one is ordained primarily to serve the community and no longer for the purpose of offering Christ's Sacrifice.
  • There is now a rite of commissioning eucharistic ministers throwing confusion on the sacrament of Holy Orders.
  • The genuflection immediately after the words of consecration
    has been suppressed as if to mean that there is no real presence until the people have taken part in the consecration themselves.
  • Many priests do not celebrate if there are no people present.
  • Often, the Tabernacle has been removed from the Main Altar to
    diminish the relation between the Priesthood of Christ and that of the priest. The presidential chair has replaced the tabernacle in most churches.
  • In general, priests and religious have stop wearing their clerical
    and religious dress.
  • Marriages of tens of thousands of priests and religious have
    taken place.

 

.Why is Mass offered?

The Traditional Catholic Doctrine

The Doctrine of Martin Luther on the Mass

The new teaching in the
Catholic Church

  • "The purposes for which the Mass is offered are as follows: (1) to adore God, (2) to thank Him for His benefits, (3) to make satisfaction for our sins and (4) to obtain from Him other graces and blessings.” (Traditional Catechism)
  • The first and foremost goal of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is the glory of God: " I a the Lord thy God!" "Glory be to God in the highest (first) and (then) peace on earth to men of goodwill!" Adoration comes first.
  • Mass is offered also for the souls in Purgatory, "at they may be released from their sins” (II Mac. 12, 42).
  • The spiritual life is a spiritual combat against sin, the devil, the world. We need God's grace in this struggle which will result to heaven or hell for everyone. For example, very often we ask "to learn to despise earthly things and to love those of heaven". (Feast of the Sacred Heart)
  • The Mass meant simply to be a communion, Luther wrote: “It is, therefore, clearly erroneous and impious to offer or apply the merits of the Mass for sins, or the reparation thereof, or for the deceased. Mass is offered by God to man, and not by man to God”.
  • Mass is still offered in thanksgiving (2) and petition (4). However the first (adoration) and third (propitiation) purposes of the Mass have been seriously interfered with.
  • Mass seems to be offered first for the People of God rather than as an act of adoration to God.
  • Mass is said facing the people.
  • The propitiatory (or expiatory) nature of the Mass has clearly
    disappeared in the new rites of funerals, for example, where everyone seems to be sent straight to heaven.
  • Purgatory is rarely - if ever - mentioned.
  • Sermons on hell and the Last Ends have not been heard for 20, 30
    years.
  • There are no more enemies of the spiritual life to fight!

Conclusion:  It is therefore very clear that the New Mass expresses a departure from the traditional teaching of the Church and a great likeness to Luther’s heretical reforms.  Many Protestants themselves have approved this, such as Br. Roger from Taize.


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