There are many things in this world that are truly priceless. You cannot put a price on the beauty of the mountains or other wonders of nature. You could never put a price on a parent’s love or on the gift of a child. You cannot put a price on a faithful friend or a heroic act of charity. And you cannot put a price on the gift of the Most Holy Eucharist!
We must begin with an understanding of the Sacrifice of Christ on the Cross. Jesus, the Son of God, took on our fallen human nature and died for us once and for all. In His suffering and death, He destroyed death itself by rising victorious. But His death was a real death, and it was the perfect sacrifice and atonement for all our sins.
Therefore, the Holy Mass
is called, among many things, “The Holy Sacrifice.” It is called this because that is what it is. Look at it this way: Jesus’ death on the Cross took place more than 2,000 years ago. We were not there. Or were we? The truth is that every time we participate in the Mass, we are present at Calvary. And we are not only present, we are participants. Every time we attend the Mass, it is as if time ceases and we enter into this timeless moment of the Sacrifice of Christ. We are there, not so much historically; rather, we are there essentially, truly and spiritually. Our soul is present to the Sacrifice of the Cross, and we are able to share in the fruits of that Sacrifice. ✠