The Mass recalls not only Christ's death on the cross, but also the Last Supper moment when he entirely submitted himself to God as Pleasing Gift.

Friday, 8/11/17

With gratitude I recall that I have been allowed to take part in the Mass every morning for seventy-five years.

There is another priest who uses our chapel altar, and he always leaves an extra crucifix on the altar. He is right in reminding himself that Christ’s death on the cross was the culmination of his sacrifice. But he might be wrong in not reminding himself of Christ’s Last Supper as part of his sacrifice.

After all, it was about the Last Supper that Jesus said, “Do this in memory of me.”

A First Century handbook called “The Teaching of the Apostles” had Christians repeating the Last Supper ritual every Sunday. It instructed them to “Confess your sins so your sacrifice will be pure; but first settle disputes so that they do not deter from your sacrifice.”

 So ,it was  what happened at the Last Supper, along with Christ’s death on the cross that constituted the sacrifice by which Christ saved us.

The actual part of the Last Supper that made it part of Christ’ sacrifice was the moment when Jesus entirely submitted himself to God’s will. That vital moment was called “The Pleasing Gift.”

It was when Jesus was making that Pleasing Gift of himself that he gave himself to us under the appearance of bread and wine.

He gives himself to us then so that we, by submitting ourselves to God might become one Pleasing Gift with him. The Greek word the Mass uses for Pleasing Gift is Eucharist.