But why Sacrifice?

In an effort to better understand the need for the Final Sacrifice of the Perfect Lamb, we need to understand the call for sacrifices prior. And while God no longer calls for a physical offering, there is something to be considered about the worship centered on offering to the Lord. 

Have you ever attempted to read Leviticus for your own personal spiritual journey? It can be one of the most dry, tedious reads-a bunch of rules, to-dos, not-to-dos, handed down to the Israelite people that we don't even follow anymore, so why is it important to have in our Bible? Leviticus teaches us plenty about our God. Firstly, it is a reminder that this God that we worship is not just our God or our Bible. This it truly the God of Jacob, Isaac, and of today's Jewish descendants. Leviticus taught the young nation of Israel how their God wanted to be worshiped and solidified God's desire for sacrifices as atonement and promises to do better.

Sacrifice is not new to Leviticus. Even Cain and Abel prepared offerings to the Lord as the children of Adam and Eve. Jacob was prepared to offer Isaac. Leviticus provided specific instruction as to what could or should be sacrificed to God.

 “Now this is what you shall offer upon the altar: two lambs a year old day by day continually. One lamb you shall offer in the morning, and the other lamb you shall offer in the evening..." Exodus 29:38-42. 

Lambs, goats, birds, and even grain was all acceptable to God as a sacrifice in atonement of sin or celebration of the Lord.  But why sacrifice? What did it mean or provide to God and God's people?

God did not "need" the blood of His own creations nor did God need the grain of His people. But sacrifice is more than just what is being offered, the sacrifice offered a strong symbolism of dying for his or her own sins through the animal, recognizing that their sins deserved death. Sacrifice also acknowledged the sovereignty of God over all creation and made a gift of the people's very selves. By giving up the perfect lamb of their flock or the first fruits of their cultivated earth, it was an ultimate labor of love that was being given to the Lord.

The sacrifices that were given to God then help us to better understand what to offer to God now. The
Final Sacrifice, the last blood that God has asked for from us was given by God's own Son, a perfect and living sacrifice. And while that does eliminate a need for sacrifice to atone for our sins and humanity, that does not completely eliminate the need for sacrifice in our worship. We recall the ultimate sacrifice with praise and thanksgiving each Sunday in the Eucharist (translated to Greek to Hebrew, meaning thanksgiving), thus sacrifice remains an integral part of our worship of God.

While God doesn't still ask for a lamb from us or the first part of our harvest, God still wishes for us to make sacrifices, to recognize that our sin is detestable, to see God as sovereign, and to give God our very selves. This is where the idea of Lenten abstention shows up most often, but Lent is not the only season we can make sacrifices for our faith. Try to reflect on your life and ask God what you can give to help better feel God's love and sovereign nature over us.

Tota tua.

The Crying Woman

In today's Gospel, we hear a familiar story, about a woman who washes Jesus' feet with her tears, dries them with her hair, and then anoints them with expensive oil (Luke 7 36:50). As a child, it was a funny image. How does someone cry enough to wash another person's feet? Her hair must have been so long to be able to dry His feet like that... Gross, kissing someone's feet!

The image itself distracted me from the reality of the what this woman was doing. Now, as an adult and hearing this story, my pride cringes at the idea of kneeling before another person and washing their feet with my tears and drying them with my hair (although I still don't think my hair is long enough for that). Obviously, there is more to the story: Jesus informs her that her sins are forgiven and reminds the Pharisees that what she has done and the great love she has shown, which earns her great forgiveness in return. "Your faith has saved you," He tells her.

I think part of the impact of this story happens before the beginning. Try to just imagine acting like she does. Disregard the probability of it, but try to imagine being so sorry and ashamed for what you have done that you produce enough tears to wash someone's feet. Try to imagine planning this out, she obviously had forethought if she had purchased that jar of oil beforehand. Putting yourself low enough to the ground that you can was another's feet. Making the decision to put yourself literally at the feet of your Lord and admit all of your faults.

Would you be able to put your pride aside and do this? Keep in mind, Jesus has not told her that He is God, He has not risen from the dead yet, she is relying on faith and only her faith. Do you have enough faith in God, enough love for God, enough trust in God to put yourself out there? To cry in front of the leaders of your hometown and religion and physically, if not verbally, show how sorry you are for your sins?

Maybe we don't have to go so far though...

If what saved her was her faith, then maybe that is all that is needed. Faith that God will always forgive you, welcome you, and take you into loving arms. You have to trust that God will. And how can we, as Catholics (or Christians) do this? We can wash another's feet, we can ask for forgiveness either in prayer, at church, or in confession. But the important thing is that we have enough faith to ask in the first place.

 Ask and receive.


Tota tua,

LeAnn

Past

The past has an interesting way of popping back up when we least expect it. And depending on the situation, this can be either good or bad, oftentimes, it is a combination of both. The reality of it is that we are products of the past, and present is completely determined by this, and the ways if effects us.

It's most essential to remember that while our past, at one point in time it was the most important thing going on in our lives. The past was, at one point, our present. And while we can learn from our past, and can grow from it, we cannot change it. It is, after all, the past.

My advice this new year? Don't let the past tear you apart, don't hold yourself accountable for sins that have long since past. Your sins were long since forgiven, and if it's something you can't bring yourself to let go, here's where being Catholic can help to make a difference.

Confession. Ready, set, go!

"ForgivemeFatherforIhavesinnedit'sbeenXamountsincemylastconfessionandthesearemysins."

"I did, x, y, z, t, u, q, y again, and a few of h. Oh! And, l several times."

Then comes the exciting part, when the priest offers you some help. He may give you advice or encouragement, he may even just tell that it's going to be okay. After that, you receive absolution and your penance. Keep in mind, penance will be different every time, and must be done. It's as essential as confession in your quest to say sorry to God.

Keep in mind that the past is the past, the present is right now, and the future is on it's way, so why not do your best to prepare for it?

Don't cling, just let it go.

Totus Tuus,

LeAnn