Word of the Week

10th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Sacrifice: Sacrum-fice (L.): meaning “to make holy”, behind this term is a Hebrew word that means “drawing near”

“Sacrifice is the ritual offering to God made by a priest on behalf of the people as a sign of adoration, gratitude, supplication and communion” (glossary, 898).  Christ’s perfect sacrificial offering, as both priest and victim, was definitive for the reparation of all mankind as it is the “source of eternal salvation” (CCC 616, 617).  This is true quintessentially, in the celebration of the Eucharist where Christ is made substantially present (CCC 1357). Because Christ has united himself with every man in the gift of the Spirit, we are called to be made sharers in the one paschal sacrifice. Through this participation we are co-workers in the mission of the cross. Consequently, we enter into the mission of redemptive suffering (CCC 617) (Col.1:24).

Sacrifice can be found in Sacred Scripture close to 300 times: 255 in the Old Testament and 42 in the New Testament. Collectively, the biblical vision to sacrifice was the way of entering into relationship with God. The OT sacrifice was the benchmark for covenant life with God and in principle entailed a holocaust, or burnt-offering (Ex.18:12, 29:18; Lev.3:5; Num.7:81). This holocaust (offering was burned so as to be complete and unreturnable) was offered as a gift to God in atonement for the sins of the people. In addition, there was the sin-offering when there was a threat of sin that was outside of our control (Ex.30:10; Lev.5:6). In the NT, we read that all offerings were ratified in the blood of Christ, and brought to perfection through the one perfect mediator in Jesus Christ (Heb.7:27). Furthermore, we are called to participate in this sacrifice and offer our own bodies as a “living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship” (Rom.12:1). We accomplish this by putting to death the deeds of the flesh and becoming vessels of purity (Hahn and Minch, 35).

The image of Christ is the ultimate expression of love being emptied out for the sake of other. The call to sacrifice is the challenge to unite our beings with this expression of love, this spiritual poverty.  In sacrifice, we reproduce the image of Christ in our daily vocation--par excellance. This brings to light the universal call to holiness where we are set apart for the glory of God. Ultimately, this directs us into a deeper communion with Christ and participation in his divine life.

“…the modern world has quite forgotten the significance of sacrifice. Not only do we want something for nothing, but in any time and all the time. The result has been a growing lack of appreciation and respect, a degradation and cheapening of good things, and it is related to a loss of holiness…a loss of sacrifice.”

--Dale Ahlquist

Primary Texts Consulted

• Catholic Bible. Suggested trans. Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition.
• Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2 nd Edition, 1997.
• Hahn, Scott and Minch , Curtis. Ignatius Catholic Study Bible: The Letter of Saint Paul to the Romans, RSV 2nd ed. San Francisco : Ignatius Press, 2003.

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