4 November 2018

DIX ON SACRIFICE (2)

"Before He died, Christ consigned the whole meaning of His sacrificial death to an Action. He took bread and broke it, and said 'This is my Body'. He took the cup and said 'This is the New Covenant in my Blood'. He gave to that Act the character of a sign - an effective sign. 'As often as ye eat this Bread and drink this Cup ye do proclaim the Lord's death till he come'.

" I only have time to insist on the enormous importance, in that connection, of bearing in mind the New Testament doctrine of the Church as the Body of Christ; a doctrine which Protestantism from the beginning has virtually denied. It took up the position that first the individual was 'justified' and then he joined the church. That is not New Testament doctrine. It is not the Catholic doctrine. Christ cannot be separated from His Church. Christ and the Church are one thing. Because the Church is the Body of Christ, Baptism actually makes us part of Christ, and Confirmation is the imparting of the Spirit to His members. That is a consequence of Baptism, and in the Primitive Church Confirmation immediately followed Baptism.

"It seems to me strange that the doctrine of the Church is in very great danger of being lost sight of in questions of reunion. You and I believe that the Sacrifice of Christ is not renewed but extended in the Church's Sacrifice in the Eucharist. Because the Church is one with Him, its members rightly take upon their lips the words which were so often upon His lips: 'Our Father'. His prayer is the Church's prayer; His mission is her mission; His action is the Church's action - not associated with Him, but one action. He lives and reigns in the Church, which is His Body. Death is His entrance into glory; His death our entrance to God - our perfect sacrifice, proclaimed as such in every Eucharist."

7 comments:

  1. 'You and I believe that the Sacrifice of Christ is not renewed but extended in the Church's Sacrifice in the Eucharist.'

    Does this square with Catholic doctrine? No theologian, I. But does the Church not affirm that the Mass is a renewal of Christ's sacrifice on the cross?

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  2. Dear Father. Because of certain constraints, ABS had to assist at The Lil' Licit Liturgy today rather than The Real Mass and the visiting priest included in his sermon this - Raise your hand if you know what The Easter Duty is?

    Once again, ABS was the cheese.

    The sad thing is the Priest never took the opportunity to tell everyone what the Easter Duty is. ABS was whispered to by those surrounding him seeking the answer.

    Now, imagine if ABS asked the faithful at The Real Mass if they could name the four sacrificial aspects in The Holocaust of The Mass

    Holocaust offered to God as a homage of His Sovereign greatness

    Sacrifice of Expiation to appease His Justice

    Sacrifice of Impetration to implore His bounty

    Eucharistic Sacrifice to thank Him for His bounty

    The more one learns/knows about He whom He loves and what He does and why He does it, the more one can love Him (Jesus) and so it seems a shame that faithful at the Real Mass never seem to hear these crucial and beautiful truths at that most magnificent Real Mass.

    Dear Father, That is one great reason your Blog is so valuable - you are telling your readers the important truths.

    Thank you

    O, that "The Shame of the Liturgy" is in our library is owing to you

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  3. Dear Father. It just occurred to ABS that he wrote expiation rather than propitiation.

    Sacrifice of propitiation was intended

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  4. Father Hunwicke,

    Since Dom Dix felt this strongly about the Eucharist, why did he not convert to Catholicism?

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  5. The same sacrifice that Christ performed on Calvary is the same sacrifice that each priest, in persona Christi, offers during Mass. It cannot be a renewal since that would imply either the necessity of multiple sacrifices for salvation or the sacrifice of the Mass is more an optional commemoration (c.f. Renewal of wedding vows--not necessary or a continuation of the sacrament of Matrimony)

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  6. Yup, it is a re-presentation on Earth. (In Heaven, Jesus is in the Holy of Holies acting as our High Priest, continuously presenting His once for all sacrifice of Himself.)

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    Replies
    1. Do you know the theory of the sacrifice of holy Mass as developed by the German theologian and liturgist, Dr. Valentin Thalhofer (1825-1891), pulished in 1870? It seems so.

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