Leviticus 1-7: The Sacrifices

Speak to the Israelites and tell them: When any one of you* brings an offering of livestock to the LORD, you shall bring your offering from the herd or from the flock. Leviticus 1:2 From the dawn of time, beginning with Cain and Abel’s sacrifice, continuing even up to now in some places, people have offered … Read more

When anyone brings a grain offering to the Lord, the offering must consist of bran flour. The offerer shall pour oil on it and put frankincense over it… (Leviticus 2:1) In contrast to the dramatic bloody animal sacrifices, the grain offering can easily be overlooked as some benign ritual of lesser importance.  The grain motif, however, … Read more

If a person’s offering is a communion [peace] sacrifice, if it is brought from the herd, be it a male or a female animal, it must be presented without blemish before the LORD. (Leviticus 3:1) The burnt offering and the cereal offering were the most common sacrifices, mandatory, offered at least once a year by a … Read more

Tell the Israelites: When a person inadvertently does wrong by violating any one of the LORD’s prohibitions… (Leviticus 4:1) Traditionally, this fourth offering has been simply called a “sin” (Hebrew ḥaṭṭā´t) offering because it has to do with those who sin in various ways.  However, as we have seen, the burnt offering was the fundamental sacrifice for … Read more

When a person commits sacrilege by inadvertently misusing any of the Lord’s sacred objects, the wrongdoer shall bring to the Lord as reparation an unblemished ram from the flock, at the established value* in silver shekels according to the sanctuary shekel, as a reparation offering. (Leviticus 5:15) The sacrificial system in ancient Israel with its differing offerings was … Read more

Tantum ergo SacramentumVeneremur cernui:Et ad antiquum documentumNovo cedat ritui:Præstet fides supplementumSensuum defectui.Genitori, GenitoqueLaus et iubilatio,Salus, honor, virtus quoqueSit et benedictio:Procedenti ab utroqueCompar sit laudatio.Amen.                                                                                      Thomas Aquinas English Translation:Down in adoration falling,Lo! the sacred Host we hail;Lo! o’er ancient forms departing,newer rites of grace prevail;faith for all defects supplying,where the feeble senses fail.To the everlasting Father,and … Read more