The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass: A Search for an Acceptable Notion of Sacrifice

by Michael McGuckian

Contents:
1. A "true and proper" sacrifice: The background --
A purely sacramental sacrifice? --
The One Sacrifice of Christ --
The Council of Trent on the Sacrifice of the Mass --
The Eucharist as a natural sacrifice --
According to the Order of Melchizedek --
The debate of 1562. 2. Two Old Testament models of sacrifice: The three-part model of sacrifice --
The Offertory --
The priestly mediation --
The meal --
The three-part structure of the Mass --
The argument against the Offertory. 3. The Last Supper and the early Eucharist: The Last Supper as a Communion sacrifice of Bread and Wine --
The Last Supper as a Passover sacrifice --
The chronology of the Last Supper --
The Offertory of the Last Supper --
Matthew 5:23-24. 4. The Offertory in tradition: The Didache --
Saint Clement of Rome --
Saint Justin Martyr --
The subsequent history of the Offertory --
The decline of the Offertory in the West --
The reform of the Offertory after Vatican II --
Conclusion. 5. The Meal theory of sacrifice: The Meal theory of sacrifice --
The three sacrifices of Israel. 6. The Sacrifice of the Cross: The priestly mediation --
The Offertory of the sacrifice --
The Meal. 7. The Sacramental Sacrifice: One sacrifice/Many sacrifices --
The natural sacrifice --
The distinction of priesthoods --
The double offering --
The private Mass --
The active participation of the faithful --
Wit empty hands? --
The Sacramental Sacrifice --
The Offertory --
The Eucharistic Prayer --
Communion --
Conclusion.

144 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2005