Plants contribute so much to the worship of God that they need another week to get through all the ways they sacrifice themselves in the mass. Last week, we saw that flowers, cotton, linen, wheat, and grapes are all involved in the liturgy, and we began to see the sacrifice of trees and their role in salvation history. We continue with trees, and there is still more they give.

The Holy Mass is offered to God through the sacrifice of Christ, united with the sacrifice of all of creation to facilitate the worship of God. Last week we took a look at the sacrifice that animals make in order to contribute to the Mass. Today, we will see how the plant world offers itself to the glory of God.

Flowers are often the most conspicuous offering of plants to God in the mass. They are often made of bouquets of cut stems, meaning the life they have to give is by definition limited. Their blooms give the rest of their life accentuating the sanctuary and adding extra beauty on the most holy days of the year. The flowers will eventually wither and die, but in their short life they gave their all to decorate God’s throne room.

The Holy Mass is first and foremost a sacrifice to God, and in this ultimate sacrifice of Christ is many smaller sacrifices composing a vast array of the entire natural world. From animals, to plants, to even the earth itself, all of God’s creation comes together in the Holy Mass to offer fitting sacrifice to their creator.

Let us first start with the sacrifice that the animals make to facilitate worship of God. Certain vestments (the ceremonial garments worn by the clergy in the liturgy) may be made from silk, a sacrifice of silkworms to create. The most important books used in the liturgy are bound in leather, a sacrifice of cows to create.

On Sunday, September 15th, the Distribution of the Precious Blood will be reintroduced at masses in a phased roll-out, beginning at the 9am and 11am masses. As discussed in previous articles about the Precious Blood, one does not need to consume both species of the Blessed Sacrament (Body and Blood separately) in order to receive all of Christ; he is entirely present in either species. If, however, you wish to receive the Precious Blood, please follow the instructions below.

Because the Eucharistic bread is by no means just “ordinary food” but the very Body and Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Jesus Christ, we must make it a point to receive holy communion in a manner that reflects what we believe as Catholics. Our bodies speak a “language.” Therefore, we communicate with our bodies what we really believe about what the Church teaches regarding the Real Presence of Christ in the Eucharist.

As was discussed in the last article, the Sacrifice to God is not completed fully by simply offering it to God, but by the consumption of the lamb’s flesh by the people for nourishment and anointing the lintels of the door of their dwelling with the lamb’s blood. When Christ became that sacrificial lamb for us, the manner of the sacrifice accordingly changed, as we are now able to offer an unbloody sacrifice, and the sacrifice of Christ on the cross is re-presented, or renewed before God by the priest. Similar to the ancient Israelites, we complete the sacrifice through consuming the Precious Body of the Lamb, the host. We may also anoint the lintel of the door of the dwelling of our soul, the lips of our mouth, when we consume the Precious Blood.

Since the times of the ancient Israelites, as shown in the Book of Exodus, a lamb was offered for sacrifice to God. The people ate the flesh of the lamb, and the blood was poured out and used to mark the entrance of their homes. Each year for Passover this was repeated, when each family brought a lamb to the temple in Jerusalem, and then the lamb was sacrificed on the altar by the priest on behalf of the people.

My wife and I were blessed to be able to attend the National Eucharistic Congress in Indianapolis from July 17-21, and it was AWESOME!  It was truly incredible to be with 60,000 Catholics for the main purpose of adoring Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament!  We all desired to grow in love for Him and for each other.  It was a little glimpse of heaven as we felt like one body before our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  If someone dropped something, there would quickly be someone there to help them pick it up.  If someone tripped, they quickly received the aid of others.  The lines were long for most things, but there was no complaining or grumbling, just love and kindness.