poured out for you and for many: december 18

Last week we begun talking about the words of consecration and we called this the very heart, the very center of the Mass.  This is the reason why we gather for the mass, this is why scriptures have to be read before we reach this point, this is one of the reasons why I was ordained by the bishop as a priest, this is the reason why we come every Sunday.  The consecration is central to the mass.

Today we reflect on the third point, the third and most important change in the words of the consecration of the wine.  TAKE THIS, ALL OF YOU, AND DRINK FROM IT, FOR THIS IS THE CHALICE OF MY BLOOD, THE BLOOD OF THE NEW AND ETERNAL COVENANT, WHICH WILL BE POURED OUT FOR YOU AND FOR MANY FOR THE FORGIVENESS OF SINS.

In the past it was simply it will be shed for you and for all.  Now this is it will be poured out for you and for many.  Why many?  Why not all.  Did Christ die only for many and not for all.  May pinili-an lang sia, may madamo pero indi tanan?

To understand the context of this translation we need to go back to the original language where this was first written. Since the gospels and the letters of Paul were written in Greek, the Greek says that Christ died peri pollon - he died for many, or Christ poured out his blood hyper pollon which literally means again for many.  But the many of the Greeks and the many of Hebrew do not just mean a great number but all - all.  Christ did not just intend to die for a great number.  He intended to die for all.  It is a dogma of faith that Christ died for all - no exemptions here - God intend to save all. But, and this is a great but, not all have benefitted from and not all will benefit from this pouring out of the blood of Christ.  Not all will choose to accept this great love and mercy of God, many will but not all.

This is the point of this translation.  Man will always act in freedom.  Man will always make a choice.  You cannot be forced to do something against your will.  You cannot be forced to accept a teaching which runs contrary to what you believe.  You will have to make a choice.  St. Augustine once said, God who created you without you, will not save you without you.'  God will not save you without you.  To say that Christ died for all and Christ died for many are both valid.  This has been used in the church.  To say that Chrirst did not die for all is wrong - ano ang buot mo silingon nga ikaw lang, kita lang, sila lang ang ginpangitmatyan ni Jesus?  Pope Benedict said being jealous of salvation is not Christian.  For indeed there are Christians who claim nga sila lang ang maluwas kay si Jesus para lang sa ila, si Jesus napatay para lang sa ila. 

But we equally acknowledge that not all will be saved because the freedom to refuse will limit the all embracing salvation of Christ. 

Many bishops and even priests, even on facebook have expressed dismay on the approval of the RH Bill.  Despite the bishops work to have for it disapproved, it passed.  Man is always free.  Whatever you do, it is always your choice.  Even if now that the RH Bill is approved, do not blame government, do not blame your congressmen or women.  Everything is still within the ambit of your choice.  Probably what the government did today is to make it easier for you to choose this and that, but again it is still our choice.  The church has made its stand clear, the church, as mother and teacher, has taught us what a Catholic should believe regarding marriage, regarding artificial contraception, abortion, divorce, sterilizations, sec education, and the like.  We all know that.  Now it is our choice.

Our study of the wording of the words of consecration is timely, isn’t it?  We are reminded to choose and choose well and to choose what God would have wanted you to choose.

Today’s gospel tells of the dream of Joseph where an angel talked him out of the divorce he was planning.  He must have such a big problem and felt this deeply for isn’t it that when we have problems of such magnitude we even dream about them?  But when Joseph woke up he made a choice, and it must diffcult.  He decided to take Mary as his wife and forgo the planned divorce, and he decided not to have relations with his wife, Mary.  That was his choice.  But then that was Joseph.