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 SACRIFICE

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SACRIFICE

(c) So far as we may gather from revelation, the most natural and probable ^•iew seems to be that sacrifice originated in the positive comniand of God, since, by the original revelation in Panuiise, the whole rehgion of mankind appears to have been established in advance on a supernatural basis. The Greek legend of the invention of sacrifice by Prometheus and the giant Chiron, together with similar legends of Asiatic religions, might be interpreted as reminiscences of the Divine origin of sacrifice. The i)ositive com- mand to sacrifice might even after the Fall have been preserved by tradition among the descendants of Adam, and thus spread among the pagan nations of all lands. The idolatrous deviations from the paradisaic idea of sacrifice would thus appear as regrettable errors. •which, however, would not be more difficult to explain than the general fall of the human race. But, however plausible and probable this hj-pothesis may be. it is unprovable, and indeed unnecessary for the explanation of sacrifice. Regarding sacrifice in Para- dise the Bible gives us no information; for the explana- tion of "eating of the Tree of Life" as a sacramental food offering is a later theologumenon which the acuteness of theologians, following Augustine's lead, has devised. But without recurring to a Divine or- dinance, the origin of sacrifice may easily be explained by purely psychological motives. In consideration of the relation of son ship between man and God, which was felt more deeply in primitive times than subsequently, the only eA-idence of sincere inner adoration that the creature could give was by sacri- ficing some of his own possessions, thus visibly ex- pressing his absolute submission to the Divine Majesty. Nor was it less in keeping with the inner promptings of man to declare his gratitude to God by gifts offered in return for benefits received, and to give through the medium of sacrificial presents expression to his petitions for new favours. Finally, the sinner might hope to free himself of the oppressive consciousness of guilt, when in the spirit of contrition he had to the best of his abihty repaired the wrong done to the Divinity. The more childhke and in- genuous the conception of God formed by primitive man, the more natural and easy was for him the in- troduction of sacrifice. A. trulj^ good child offers little gifts to his parents, though he does not know what they will do with them. The psychological theory thus seems to offer the best explanation of the origin of sacrifice.

(.5) Object of Sacrifice. — As its "metaphysical form", the object first gives sacrifice its full spiritual content, and quickens the external rites with a living soul. The developed pagan religions agree with revealed religion in the idea that sacrifice is intended to give symbolical expression to man's complete surrender of himself into the hands of the Supreme God in order to obtain communion with Him. In the recognition of the absfjlute supremacy of God lies the juridical, and in the correlative absolute subjection to God the ethical side of sacrifice. In both moments the latreu- tic character of the sacrifice stands out clearly, since to God alone, as the First Cause (Causa prima) and the Last End (Finis uUimus) of all things, may sacrifice be offered. Even the idolatrous sacrifices of pagans did not entirely lo.se sight of this fundamental idea, since they esteemed their idols as gods. Even sacri- fices of thanksgiving and petition never exclude this es.s(intial latreutir; feature, since they concern thanks- givings and p(titions io the ever-adorable Divinity. From our sinful condition arises the fourth object of sacrifice, i. e. the appeasing of the Divine an|5er. The fourfold object of sacrifice supplies an immediate explanation of the four kinds of sacrifice (cf. St. Thomas, I-II, Q. cii, a. 'i). With the sentiments of sacrifice incorporated in thcs(objects is closely con- nected the high imp<jrtanc^ of prayer, which accom- panies the rite of sacrifice in all the higher religions;

Grimm thus simply declares: "Sacrifice is only a prayer offered with gifts." Where we are to seek the culminating point of the sacrificial act (actio sacn'fica), in which the object of sacrifice is especially expressed, is the most freely debated question, and concerning it the theorists are not in agreement. While some see the culmination of the sacrifice in the real alteration (pnmutatio), and especially in the destruction of the gift, others refer the essence of the sacrificial act to the external oblation of the gift, after it has been subjected to any change whatsoever; a third, but not very numerous party make the sacri- ficial meal the chief element. This last view has al- ready been set aside as untenable. That the meal is not essential is likewise showni by numerous sacrifices, with which no meal is associated (e. g. the primitive burnt-sacrifice, and the sacrifice of the Cross). Again, the importance of the blood, which as a means of nourishment was avoided, spurned by, and even for- bidden to the Jews, finds no ex-pression in the banquet- theory. That the destruction of the gift (especially the slaying) cannot constitute the essence of the sacrifice is clear from the fact that the sprinkling of the blood (aspersio sanguinis) was regarded as the culmination, and the killing as onlj^ the preparation for the real sacrificial act. In fact the "destruction theory", settled in Cathohc theology since the time of Vasquez and Bellarmine, harmonizes neither with the historical pagan conception of sacrifice nor with the essence of the sacrifice of Christ on the Cross, nor finally with the fundamental ideas of the Mosaic cult. The destruction is at most the material, and the oblation the formal element of the sacrifice. Con- sequently, the idea of sacrifice lies in the self -surrender of man to God, not with the object of (symbolical) self-destruction, but of final transformation, glorifica- tion, and deification. Wherever a meal is associated with the sacrifice, this signifies merely the confirma- tion and certification of the communion with God, al- ready existing or reacquired by expiation. We may thus define sacrifice as the external oblation to God by an authorized minister of a sense-perceptible object, either through its destruction or at least its real transformation, in acknowledgement of God's supreme dominion and for the appeasing of His wrath. In so far as this definition refers to the sacri- fice of the Mass, see Mass, Sacrifice of the.

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