On the Lamb of God
In every celebration of the Holy Mass, a crucifix is always present whether on the altar table itself or at the Sanctuary because the Holy Mass is a memorial of the ultimate sacrifice offered by Jesus on the Cross for the redemption of mankind.
In Genesis, we read of Cain and Abel offering sacrifices to God. Cain offered from the fruits of the land while Abel offered a lamb, the best firstling of his flock. Seeing the heart of the one who offers, God found favor with the offering of Abel.
In Exodus, we read of Moses being told by God to instruct the Israelites to choose lambs without blemish to be sacrificed and whose blood was to be painted at the lintels and doorposts of their homes. This saved them from the tenth plague.
In Leviticus, we read of God appointing the Tenth Day of the Seventh Month to be the Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur). As an act of expiation and propitiation, the community offers a bullock and two goats as a sin-offering and a ram as holocaust that the priest immolates, except one goat chosen by lot that is kept alive to wander in the desert, in atonement for the sins of the community.
Jesus, however, established a new testament when He sacrificed Himself by shedding His blood on the Cross as the one perfect offering pleasing to God for the forgiveness of sins. “On the day before he was to suffer, on the night of the last supper”, when He took the chalice with wine, He said, “this is the chalice of My blood, of the new and eternal covenant, which will be poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins.” The following day, when He died on the Cross and as His blood flowed out from His body, the Sacrifice was perfected.
The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, in fulfillment of Jesus’ command to “do this in memory of me”, is the sacred memorial that renews the Sacrifice offered by Jesus with Himself as the victim offering. And as the only begotten Son of God, Jesus, as it were, is the Lamb without blemish, that in the Old Testament is the sacrifice most pleasing to God.
In the Gospel of John the Evangelist, we read of St. John the Baptist proclaiming as he saw Jesus coming to him, “Behold, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.” That is why in the Holy Mass, the Priest proclaims before communion, echoing the words of St. John the Baptist, “Behold the Lamb of God, behold him who takes away the sins of the world. Blessed are those called to the supper of the Lamb.” And the blessed people of God, called to the marvelous supper, can joyfully receive Him in Holy Communion.
At the beginning and end of every celebration of the Holy Mass, the Priests kisses the Altar in reverence because it is where the sacrifice of the Lamb of God is offered. It is a noble tradition too that in our homes, we dedicate a space for an altar with a crucifix that will constantly remind us of the greatest love Jesus who offered Himself for our salvation as the Lamb of God.
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