Learning About Sacrifice: Its Origin and Daily Encounters
Why Did God Require Sacrifice in the Old Testament? February Youth Journal
In February’s Full of Grace Youth Journal, we’re looking at a very important question: Why did God require sacrifice?
Tradition of Sacrifice
Worship with an altar begins immediately after leaving the Garden. Abel makes a sacrifice pleasing to the Lord while Cain does not. Noah builds an altar and offers a sacrifice of thanksgiving after the flood. Abraham is prepared to offer his only son.
God required sacrifice for several reasons. The animals God demanded sacrificed represented the pagan false gods. This was God’s way of keeping the Israelites safe from falling into idolatry. Sacrifice also brought the Israelites into right relationship with God and was their way of communing with Him.
But in the Psalms, it is written:
Sacrifice and offering you do not desire,
but you have given me an open ear.
Burnt offering and sin offering
you have not required.
Then I said, “Here I am;
in the scroll of the book it is written of me.
I delight to do your will, O my God;
your law is within my heart.” (Psalm 40:6-8)
If this is the case, why did God require sacrifice? God was teaching the Israelites that worship requires sacrifice. And until the One comes Who has the law written in His heart, sacrifice was the best way for the Israelites to practice offering God their all.
Christ’s Coming
With Christ’s coming, we are all given the gift of a New Law of the heart, and we are all partakers of the one and everlasting Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, the one sacrifice that is truly pleasing to the Lord.
If you know a youth who would benefit from receiving monthly editions of Full of Grace, where they’ll dive into the liturgy and other aspects of their faith, sign them up today! Enroll them in The Youth Guild of Saint José Sánchez del Río at YouthGuild.org.
Full of Grace
Full of Grace is a monthly journal for those enrolled in The Youth Guild of Saint José Sánchez del Río. Each journal includes a feature on a young saint or blessed, a daily consecration to Our Lady of Fatima, prayer cards and memory verses, Q&A, and art submitted by members of the guild!
Any youth is welcome to enroll. At their enrollment, youths will receive four special benefits:
1. On the Feast Day of Saint José Sánchez del Río, February 10, the Shrine will host a special Mass for the youth guild, at the conclusion of which the celebrant will bless guild members with a first-class relic of Saint José Sánchez del Río.
2. The youths enrolled in the Guild are remembered in the Prayers of the Faithful daily during Holy Mass.
3. As members are commended to the special intercession of Saint José Sánchez del Río, each guild member receives a medal of the young saint.
4. Members receive monthly editions of Full of Grace.
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