Expert: Edward Bode - 2/21/2009

Question
QUESTION: I don't understand how there is lacking in Christ's suffering. Wasn't his sacrifice perfect?

ANSWER: Christ's sacrifice was perfect.  However, it has to be applied to us and received by us.  We do that by joining ourselves to Him in the Sacraments and believing and doing what He taught.  So, we complete the efficacy of His sufferings in their application to us.  
Also, in virtue of the joining together of ourselves to Christ the Head in the mystical body, our good actions join with his.
So, Paul gives us a great insight on how we need to act under the sufferings that life brings by uniting our suffersings with His.
Lent is a great time to ponder and appreciate our joining in the life of Christ that comes through his life, sufferings, death, and resurrection.
I hope these thoughts, Monica, are of some help.  If not, please let me know.
Best wishes.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: I teach a Junior/Senior CCD class. I believe that Jesus is present in the Eucharist and I believe that the Mass is an un-bloody representation of Christ's sacrifice. I try to teach the students by applying things to their lives. I have been trying to think of a way to do this.
 I was thinking that maybe I could use their baptism as an example but I am not sure if I should or not. My thought was: I read in the book "The Lambs Supper" that every time we enter the Church to go to Mass be are reenacting our baptism. We are taking an oath that we belive what the Catholic Church teaches and we agree to participate fully in the Mass. So if we had a valid baptism, each time we enter the Church and bless ourselves with holy water, we are in a way re-presenting our baptismal promises.We can't receive baptism more than once just like Christ only died once. We had a small gathering at our baptism like the small gathering at the Last Supper. When we re-new our baptism on Holy Saturday Mass we join with our entire community of faith as we do in the Eucharist. Water is used that still looks like water and tastes like water but it has been changed ...it is blessed and it has become holy it is now a Sacramental. The Eucharist looks like bread and tastes like bread but it has been changed into the Body and Blood of Christ.
  Would it be wrong to use something on this line as a way of explaining the Eucharist. Could you help we either develop this or give me another idea of how to explain this to them. Also I need a way to explain what Christ's sacrifice is at the Mass. It is an un-bloody sacrifice I know but what exactly is it.

Thanks in advance on your help on this.

Blessings,
Monica

Answer
I appreciate your developing an analogy to illustrate the doctrine of the Eucharist and the Mass. However, I find a basic concern in making a comparision with Baptism and holy water.
At the Mass, the memorial sacrifice of Jesus becomes present, and bread and wine become the true body, blood, soul, and divinity of Christ.  Taking holy water does not make Baptism present although it is a neat reminder of Baptism and the promises then made and the creed then professed.
The Mass and the Eucharist are unique.  I do not know of an appropriate analogy to bring home the uniqueness.
You might check The Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraphs 1356-1419; available online at:
usccb.org/catechism/text/index.htm
If you would like something more, please feel free to let me know.
As always, best wishes, Monica, to you and your apostolate.