But this participation has another and more personal meaning. The oblation of our Lord for us binds us to offer ourselves wholly to Him. Christus … victima sacerdotii sui, et sacerdos suce victimce fuit … Ipsi sunt hostice sacerdotes.[1] S. Ambrose, speaking of the sacrifice of Abel, says: Hoc est sacrificium primitivum, quando unus quisque se offert hostiam, et a se incipit ut postea munus suum possit offerre.[2] Priests offer the true Lamb and "the Blood which speaketh better things than that of Abel."[3] Every priest, morning by morning, offers to the Father the eternal oblation of Jesus Christ; but in that action he ought to offer also himself. When he says, Hoc est corpus meum, he ought to offer his own body; when he says, Hic est calix sanguinis mei, he ought to offer his own blood; that is, he ought to offer himself as an oblation to his Divine Master, in body, soul, and spirit, with all his faculties, powers, and affections, in life and unto death. S. Paul writes to the Philippians, "If I be made a victim upon the sacrifice and service of your faith, I rejoice and congratulate with you all."[4] This it may be he also said of the martyrdom which was before him; but it was spoken out of the consciousness that he had long
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