It is Jesus Christ, Our Lord, who in His humanity became the Victim of the Sacrifice of propitiation for the sins of the entire world. The lamb is said to be standing because he is alive, but at the same time he is as it were slain, because he is in state of immolation.
So Saint John saw the Old and the New Testament, from which we read during Mass.Īnd now we come to the center of the vision, we come to what is at the center of the Altar: a Lamb, standing, as it were slain. So the four animals signify the Four Gospels (and by them the whole New Testament is signified).Īnd, at the same time, Saint John saw what he calls the ancients, which clearly symbolizes the Patriarchs and Prophets, the Old Testament. And the Eagle symbolizes Saint John, whose Gospel begins with the clear affirmation of the Divinity of the Lord, flying higher than the other Evangelists, as the eagle fly higher than the other birds. Saint Luke is signified by the Ox as his Gospel starts in the Temple, place of Sacrifice. Saint Mark is represented by the Lion as his Gospel begins in the wilderness of the desert. Saint Matthew is symbolized by the man, as he starts his Gospel with the genealogy, the human lineage of Our Lord. It is written that Saint John saw four animals, and these animals symbolize the four evangelists: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. So Saint John saw the Throne, he saw the Altar. The Altar is the visible part of the Throne and the Throne is the invisible part of the Altar. The Throne of God and the Altar of the Sacrifice are united. Every time the priest ascends the steps of the Altar in order to offer the Holy Sacrifice, the door to heaven is opened (Rev 4:1) and we are placed before the Throne of God. The throne of God is the invisible reality behind the visible liturgy. One side is visible, while the other is invisible to us. So the Throne of God and the Altar are like two sides of the same reality. “And another angel came, and stood before the altar, having a golden censer and there was given to him much incense, that he should offer of the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar, which is before the throne of God” (8:3). In the chapters 8 and 9 of the book of Apocalypse we learn that before the Throne of God there is an Altar. So let us now unfold the meaning of those words. This verse describes, in mystical words, the mystery of the Most Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, which is the greatest treasure that we have on Earth.
Saint John says: “And I saw: and behold in the midst of the throne, and of the four animals, and in the midst of the ancients, a Lamb standing as it were slain, having seven horns and seven eyes which are the seven spirits of God sent forth into all the earth.” And I would like to bring to your attention a very meaningful verse of the book of Apocalypse: the verse six of chapter five. We can get to know more about the book of Apocalypse by paying attention to the Liturgy, and, at the same, we can discover many hidden treasures in the Liturgy by reading the book of Apocalypse. The book of Apocalypse and the Liturgy of the Church enlighten each other. He has shared the text with OnePeterFive for publication. Mary’s Oratory in Wausau, Wisconsin, on Pentecost Sunday. The following sermon was preached by Canon Heitor Matheus, ICKSP, at St.
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