WORSHIP

Today’s reading from Sirach presents a very profound level of wisdom for offering sacrifices. It is written, "To keep the law is a great oblation, and he who observes the commandments sacrifices a peace offering." To show obedience to the moral law of God is as important as the offering of animal sacrifices in Israel. It is counted as being as good as the offering up of sacrifices. It should not call for rebellion against the law for the just one’s offering is most pleasing, as written, "The just man’s offering enriches the altar and rises as a sweet odor before the Most High." The offering up of sacrifices is very much part of what people ought to do. Doing so and obeying God's commands are both morally right. In the book of Pope Benedict XVI he said that Israel is freed from Egypt not just to gain freedom but in order for them to go to the land of promise and worship properly. This is the goal of the liberation from Egypt not just for freedom alone. It causes confusion to live with the worship of Egyptian gods and goddesses. There is a need to separate from them to avoid confusion and not be drag down to a low level of religion. In the Torah, the 1st 5 books of the bible, there are sections on moral commandments and how to offer sacrifice. There are significant parts of the book of Numbers on how to offer sacrifice. To worship is an important element of Israel’s identity but it is not meant to be used as some form of magic to buy God’s favor. They have to obey the moral law which came before the liturgical law. A person has to be righteous in order to offer a righteous sacrifice. One has to be moral to offer a moral sacrifice. The moral code is in itself a form of worship and offering of a high level of sacrifice. Worship itself is important but the living out of God’s moral commands is in itself worship. In Hebrews 10:7-10 it is written, “Then I said, 'As is written of me in the scroll, Behold, I come to do your will, O God.'" First he says, "Sacrifices and offerings, holocausts and sin offerings, you neither desired nor delighted in." These are offered according to the law. Then he says, "Behold, I come to do your will." He takes away the first to establish the second. By this "will," we have been consecrated through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.” This is a dialogue between Jesus and God the Father. Christ makes it clear that He has received a body with which to do the Father’s will. The offering of animals is not as good as Jesus’ offering of Himself. His act of worship and sacrifice is obeying the Father all the way to the point of death on the cross. He is both the priest and victim. Christ came to offer His sacrifice that is why Pope Benedict XVI said that the cross is where this new kind of worship goes on. It is an obedience to God and the sacrifice. We should reflect on this more deeply. To keep the law is a great oblation and a peace offering. In a great sense, doing the moral law is a delight to God and a very good idea but there is one difficulty namely, us. As much as we know and see that this is the idea, our obedience does not match up with the moral law. Our sacrifice of doing what God asks of us, falls short of God’s glory. The attraction to do our own will rather than make a sacrifice of obeying the commandment is great. Christ has done this law. He has turned His obedience to every law and turned it to the sacrifice of the law. Through Him, we are able to come to that one act of obedience that is our worship. We may be weak, small and a nobody but we are in the immense worship of Jesus. We can make it to be our act of worship in the Holy Mass so that what we offer in the Consecration is going to be our obedience. We are taking that one moment of obedience of Jesus on the cross and join it to our own sacrifices. As in Romans 12:1 “I urge you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God, your spiritual worship. We join our own suffering with Christ on the cross, a spiritual offering. Through obedience to the word of God, we are uniting ourselves, giving our hearts, minds, souls and bodies through the Holy Mass. A sacrifice of ourselves poor as it can be, with Christ it becomes as rich and as powerful as it can be. We have to live out our priesthood that comes to us by our baptism. We also exercise our kingly element when we bring our own bodies under the control of God’s law and the prophetic when we bring the word of God to form our very minds. Amen. Hallelujah!

Sirach 35:1-12
...Give to the Most High as he has given to you, generously, according to your means. 10 For the LORD is one who always repays, and he will give back to you sevenfold. 11 But offer no bribes, these he does not accept! Trust not in sacrifice of the fruits of extortion, 12 for he is a God of justice, who knows no favorites.


Psalms 50:5-6, 7-8, 14, 23
R: To the upright I will show the saving power of God.
...Not for your sacrifices do I rebuke you, for your burnt offering are before me always. (R) 14 “Offer to God praise as your sacrifice and fulfill your vows to the Most High. 23 He that offers praise as a sacrifice glorifies me; and to him that goes the right way I will show the salvation of God.”

Mark 10:28-31
28 Peter began to say to Jesus, “We have given up everything and followed you.” 29 Jesus said, “Amen, I say to you, there is no one who has given up house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands for my sake and for the sake of the Gospel 30 who will not receive a hundred times more now in this present age: houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and eternal life in the age to come. 31 But many that are first will be last, and the last will be first.”