Christ offered himself for us |
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The
sacrifices of animal victims which our forefathers were commanded to
offer to God by the holy Trinity itself, the one God of the old and the
new testaments, foreshadowed the most acceptable gift of all. This was
the offering which in his compassion the only Son of God would make of
himself in his human nature for our sake.
The Apostle teaches that Christ offered himself for us
to God as a fragrant offering and sacrifice. He is the true God and the
true high priest who for our sake entered once for all into the holy of
holies, taking with him not the blood of bulls and goats but his own
blood. This was foreshadowed by the high priest of old when each year he
took blood and entered the holy of holies.
Hold fast to this and never doubt it: the
only-begotten Son, God the Word, becoming man offered himself for us to
God as a fragrant offering and sacrifice. In the time of the old
testament, patriarchs, prophets and priests sacrificed animals in his
honour, and in honour of the Father and the Holy Spirit as well.
Now in the time of the new testament the holy catholic
Church throughout the world never ceases to offer the sacrifice of
bread and wine, in faith and love, to him and to the Father and the Holy
Spirit, with whom he shares one godhead.
Those sacrifices of old pointed in sign to what was to
be given to us. In this sacrifice we see plainly what has already been
given to us. Those sacrifices foretold the death of the Son of God for
sinners. In this sacrifice he is proclaimed as already slain for
sinners, as the Apostle testifies: Christ died for the wicked at a time
when we were still powerless, and when we were enemies we were
reconciled with God through the death of his Son.
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