Sacred
The use of created things as part of the religious expression of man has defined the sacred. In other words, men have set aside various objects to be used for religion. Aside from what man himself may put toward his religious acts, God has mandated various objects so as to establish the sacred. These objects would serve to instruct men as to their dispositions and act as a preparation for the coming of Christ. There are several contributing factors in the formation of what is sacred.
The first idea which establishes the concept of sacred is separation. Josef Pieper in his work In Search of the Sacred says: “Within the world’s total framework of space and time, accessible to man, there do exist specific exceptional and separated spaces and times, distinct from the ordinary, and therefore possessing a special and unique dignity.” To highlight what is meant by separation, we can take for example the formula for the production of incense according to the Mosaic Law. God mandated specifically this formula and he announced the punishment for violating his command. When the sons of Aaron violated the command of God, they were struck dead. This action of God certainly separated this incense and its use from any other in a most striking manner.
A second notion contained in the sacred is dedication. The separated action is to be dedicated to acts of religion and worship if it is be classified as sacred. This dedication indicates the purpose behind the separation. The playing of taps at the death of a soldier is certainly a separated action, but it does not classify as sacred. The priest who begins his Mass at the foot of the altar – Introibo ad altare Dei – is performing a sacred action as it is dedicated solely to the worship of God.
Blood and Life
These two ideas of separation and dedication are important for our topic. Throughout the history of the Old Testament, God, through various determinations and mandates establishes blood as sacred. God is the author of this separation; moreover, blood is given specific purposes which will reach their full meaning with Christ.
In following the history of the Old Testament, God directs and forms men concerning the sacredness of blood. “And everything that moveth and liveth shall be meat for you: even as the green herbs have I delivered them all to you: saving the flesh with blood you shall not eat. For I will require the blood of your lives at the hand of every beast, and at the hand of man; at the hand of every man, and
of his brother, will I require the life of man.” The prohibition to eat blood is confirmed later in the Old Testament: “Moreover, you shall not eat the blood of any creature whatsoever, whether of birds or of beasts. Everyone that eateth blood shall perish from among the people.” The reason given by God in setting apart the blood is contained in the following verses: “If by hunting or fowling, he take a wild beast or a bird, which is lawful to eat, let him pour out its blood, and cover it with earth. For the life of all flesh is in the blood: therefore I said to the children of Israel: You shall not eat the blood of any flesh at all, because the life of the flesh is in the blood, and whosoever eateth it, shall be cut off.”
The connection of life to blood is thus established by God. This idea will carry its full import in the words of Jesus Who said: “Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man, and drink His blood, you shall not have life in you. He that eateth my flesh and drinketh my blood hath everlasting life.” Many stopped following Jesus when He preached these words. While the doctrine of the Holy Eucharist is to be explained, the shocking nature of the comment still remains for the Israelite who was commanded to avoid blood.
Blood and Sacrifice
Another development by God contributing to the sacred character of blood is its use for sacrifice. Sacrifice is an act of religion, specifically and primarily an act of adoration. The end of sacrifice is to acknowledge God’s infinite excellence as well as man’s complete dependence upon Him. In this act, men dedicate and offer something to God. The thing offered stands in the place of or represents the one who offers. This victim undergoes some change or destruction which is symbolic of self-abasement and humility before God – even self-annihilation. In the book of Leviticus we read: “If his offering be a holocaust, and of the herd, he shall offer a male without blemish at the door of the testimony, to make the Lord favorable to him: He shall put his hand upon the head of the victim and it shall be acceptable, and help to its expiation. And he shall immolate the calf before the Lord, and the priests, the sons of Aaron shall offer the blood thereof, pouring it round about the altar.” A quick read through the first nine chapters of this book will highlight the use of blood in sacrifice. In fact, the Old Testament religion was very bloody. In spite of the fact of being a very bloody liturgy, the use of blood in no way became common. There is an additional element to be noted in this development of the sacredness of blood. Before the Mosaic Law and the Levitical priesthood, any of the patriarchs offering a sacrifice to God could do so when and where they wished. With the Law, this liberty is taken away; a specific place is given for the sacrifice and a specific person is required to carry it out. “Any man whosoever of the house of Israel if he kill an ox, or a sheep, or a goat in the camp, or without the camp and offer it not at the door of the tabernacle an
oblation to the Lord shall be guilty of blood: as if he had shed blood, so shall he perish from the midst of his people.” This command directs the Israelites in one sacrifice, one place of sacrifice, and one who offers the sacrifice. These ideas are established thus so as to prepare the mind of men for the One Eternal High Priest who will offer the one yet perpetuated sacrifice of His life on the one altar of the cross.
Excerpts from “Sursum Corda”, the SSPX USA Third Order Letter, Summer 2013
- Father Dominique Boulet, Prior