Page:Meditations For Every Day In The Year.djvu/343

 tages of  the  sacrifices  of  the  old  law:  (i)  In  its  exterior decorum, for  it  is  more  decent  and  is  performed  without the revolting  sight  of  burning  or  the  effusion  of  blood; (2) In  its  interior  worth  and  dignity  it  far  excels  the  sacrifices of  the  old  law,  for,  in  them,  only  beasts  were  immolated, but  in  this  the  Son  of  God  is  offered;  (3)  As  to the  effects;  for  this  sacrifice  possesses  a  virtue  and  efficacy which .are  beneficial  to  the  living  in  this  world,  to  the suffering souls  in  purgatory,  and  productive  of  increasing glory  to  the  saints  in  heaven.

III. In order  to  offer  this  sacrifice  with  advantage, singular piety,  in  the  first  place,  is  requisite. God requires, in  a  moral  sense,  what  He  required  from  the priests of  the  old  law  in  a  physical  point  of  view. If any one  of  the  descendants  of  Aaron  was  deformed  in body,  he  might  eat  of  the  food  which  had  been  offered, "yet so  that  he  enter  not  within  the  veil  nor  approach  to the  altar,  because  he  hath  a  blemish  and  he  must  not  defile My  sanctuary." (Lev. xxi.  23.)  The  next  requisite  is fraternal  charity  and  brotherly  union. " If  thou  offer thy  gift,  etc.,  first  go  to  be  reconciled  to  thy  brother." This was  required  in  all  sacrifices,  but  it  is  chiefly  called for in  that  of  the  holy  Eucharist,  which  was  instituted  to unite  us  all  together  as  members  of  the  same  body,  under the  same  head. Hence it  is  called,  in  the  language of the  Council  of  Trent,  "the  seal  of  unity,  the  bond  of charity,  and  the  symbol  of  concord."