In chapter one of Coleman O’Neil, OP’s book Meeting Christ in the Sacraments, O’Neil presents three important ideas which are: “Exodus,” “The Priesthood of Christ,” and “Members of the Priest.” (O’Neil pg. vii) O’Neil’s three points are so important that they are also echoed in the Magisterial document Sacrosanctum Concilium (hence forth referred to as S.C.). This paper will briefly examine why each of O’Neil’s ideas is significant, and this essay will also provide several quotes from the Constitution on the Sacred Liturgy that support O’Neil’s assertions.
O’Neil begins chapter one by presenting the story of the Exodus to answer three significant questions: who is God calling, why is He calling them, and what is he calling them to do? According …show more content…
Humanity, because of its fallen nature, needs the mediation of another person—a divine and human person. The only being who can mediate this journey of communion between man and God is Christ; he has been able to make the one perfect and acceptable sacrifice to God. Jesus’ obedient sacrifice of his life to God the Father was able not only to redeem humanity, but it also gives perfect glory to the Father. The priestly sacrifice of Jesus’ body and blood on the cross goes beyond the formal ritual sacrifices of the Levitical priesthood. Christ’s oblation to the Father accomplishes two specific objectives besides winning for him admission into the heavenly sanctuary. First, Jesus’ sacrifice is a divine act of love on the part of both the Father and the Son. Second, Christ’s oblation is the perfect example par excellance of how humanity is called to submit in imitation of Jesus to the will of God the Father. These two actions, as O’Neil astutely writes, “are two sides of one reality: God gives the gift of love; man [, in response to the gift,] loves and submits to God by a completely free act.” (O’Neil pg. 8) For humanity to complete its new exodus or pilgrimage to the heavenly Jerusalem, people must be baptized into the body of Christ, and then they need to “conform… [their hearts, minds, and wills] to the heavenly pattern” of
O’Neil begins chapter one by presenting the story of the Exodus to answer three significant questions: who is God calling, why is He calling them, and what is he calling them to do? According …show more content…
Humanity, because of its fallen nature, needs the mediation of another person—a divine and human person. The only being who can mediate this journey of communion between man and God is Christ; he has been able to make the one perfect and acceptable sacrifice to God. Jesus’ obedient sacrifice of his life to God the Father was able not only to redeem humanity, but it also gives perfect glory to the Father. The priestly sacrifice of Jesus’ body and blood on the cross goes beyond the formal ritual sacrifices of the Levitical priesthood. Christ’s oblation to the Father accomplishes two specific objectives besides winning for him admission into the heavenly sanctuary. First, Jesus’ sacrifice is a divine act of love on the part of both the Father and the Son. Second, Christ’s oblation is the perfect example par excellance of how humanity is called to submit in imitation of Jesus to the will of God the Father. These two actions, as O’Neil astutely writes, “are two sides of one reality: God gives the gift of love; man [, in response to the gift,] loves and submits to God by a completely free act.” (O’Neil pg. 8) For humanity to complete its new exodus or pilgrimage to the heavenly Jerusalem, people must be baptized into the body of Christ, and then they need to “conform… [their hearts, minds, and wills] to the heavenly pattern” of