Fragmenda

Scripture

Leviticus 8–9

Leviticus 8

Moses consecrateth Aaron and his sons.

1 

And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:

2 

Take Aaron with his sons, their vestments, and the oil of unction: a calf for sin, two rams, a basket with unleavened bread.

3 

And thou shalt gather together all the congregation to the door of the tabernacle.

4 

And Moses did as the Lord had commanded. And all the multitude being gathered together before the door of the tabernacle:

5 

He said: This is the word that the Lord hath commanded to be done.

6 

And immediately, he offered Aaron and his sons. And when he had washed them,

7 

He vested the high priest with the strait linen garment, girding him with the girdle, and putting on him the violet tunick: and over it he put the ephod.

8 

And binding it with the girdle, he fitted it to the rational, on which was Doctrine and Truth.

9 

He put also the mitre upon his head: and upon the mitre over the forehead, he put the plate of gold, consecrated with sanctification, as the Lord had commanded him.

10 

He took also the oil of unction, with which he anointed the tabernacle, with all the furniture thereof.

11 

And when he had sanctified and sprinkled the altar seven times, he anointed it, and all the vessels thereof: and the laver with the foot thereof, he sanctified with the oil.

12 

And he poured it upon Aaron’s head: and he anointed and consecrated him.

13 

And after he had offered his sons, he vested them with linen tunicks, and girded them with girdles: and put mitres on them as the Lord had commanded.

14 

He offered also the calf for sin: and when Aaron and his sons had put their hands upon the head thereof,

15 

He immolated it: and took the blood, and dipping his finger in it, he touched the horns of the altar round about. Which being expiated, and sanctified, he poured the rest of the blood at the bottom thereof.

16 

But the fat that was upon the entrails, and the caul of the liver, and the two little kidneys, with their fat, he burnt upon the altar.

17 

And the calf with the skin, and the flesh and the dung, he burnt without the camp, as the Lord had commanded.

18 

He offered also a ram for holocaust. And when Aaron and his sons had put their hands upon its head:

19 

He immolated it, and poured the blood thereof round about the altar.

20 

And cutting the ram into pieces, the head thereof, and the joints, and the fat he burnt in the fire.

21 

Having first washed the entrails, and the feet, and the whole ram together he burnt upon the altar: because it was a holocaust of most sweet odour to the Lord, as he had commanded him.

22 

He offered also the second ram, in the consecration of priests: and Aaron, and his sons put their hands upon the head thereof.

23 

And when Moses had immolated it, he took of the blood thereof, and touched the tip of Aaron’s right ear, and the thumb of his right hand, and in like manner also the great toe of his right foot.

24 

He offered also the sons of Aaron: and when with the blood of the ram that was immolated, he had touched the tip of the right ear of every one of them, and the thumbs of their right hands, and the great toes of their right feet, the rest he poured on the altar round about.

25 

But the fat, and the rump, and all the fat that covereth the entrails, and the caul of the liver, and the two kidneys with their fat, and with the right shoulder, he separated.

26 

And taking out of the basket of unleavened bread, which was before the Lord, a loaf without leaven, and a cake tempered with oil and a wafer, he put them upon the fat, and the right shoulder:

27 

Delivering all to Aaron, and to his sons. Who having lifted them up before the Lord,

28 

He took them again from their hands, and burnt them upon the altar of holocaust: because it was the oblation of consecration, for a sweet odour of sacrifice to the Lord.

29 

And he took of the ram of consecration, the breast for his portion, elevating it before the Lord, as the Lord had commanded him.

30 

And taking the ointment, and the blood that was upon the altar, he sprinkled Aaron, and his vestments, and his sons, and their vestments with it.

31 

And when he had sanctified them in their vestments, he commanded them, saying: Boil the flesh before the door of the tabernacle, and there eat it. Eat ye also the loaves of consecration, that are laid in the basket, as the Lord commanded me, saying: Aaron and his sons shall eat them.

32 

And whatsoever shall be left of the flesh and the loaves, shall be consumed with fire.

33 

And you shall not go out of the door of the tabernacle for seven days, until the day wherein the time of your consecration shall be expired. For in seven days the consecration is finished:

34 

As at this present it hath been done, that the rite of the sacrifice might be accomplished.

35 

Day and night shall you remain in the tabernacle observing the watches of the Lord, lest you die. For so it hath been commanded me.

36 

And Aaron and his sons did all things which the Lord spoke by the hand of Moses.


Leviticus 9

Aaron offereth sacrifice for himself and the people. Fire cometh from the Lord upon the altar.

1 

And when the eighth day was come, Moses called Aaron and his sons, and the ancients of Israel, and said to Aaron:

2 

Take of the herd a calf for sin, and a ram for a holocaust, both without blemish, and offer them before the Lord.

3 

And to the children of Israel thou shalt say: Take ye a he goat for sin, and a calf, and a lamb, both of a year old, and without blemish for a holocaust.

4 

Also a bullock and a ram for peace offerings. And immolate them before the Lord, offering for the sacrifice of every one of them flour tempered with oil: for to day the Lord will appear to you.

5 

They brought therefore all things that Moses had commanded before the door of the tabernacle: where when all the multitude stood,

6 

Moses said: This is the word, which the Lord hath commanded. Do it, and his glory will appear to you.

7 

And he said to Aaron: Approach to the altar, and offer sacrifice for thy sin. Offer the holocaust, and pray for thyself and for the people: and when thou hast slain the people’s victim, pray for them, as the Lord hath commanded.

8 

And forthwith Aaron, approaching to the altar, immolated the calf for his sin.

9 

And his sons brought him the blood of it: and he dipped his finger therein, and touched the horns of the altar, and poured the rest at the foot thereof.

10 

And the fat, and the little kidneys, and the caul of the liver, which are for sin, he burnt upon the altar, as the Lord had commanded Moses.

11 

But the flesh and skins thereof he burnt with fire without the camp.

12 

He immolated also the victim of holocaust: and his sons brought him the blood thereof, which he poured round about on the altar.

13 

And the victim being cut into pieces, they brought to him the head and all the members: all which he burnt with fire upon the altar.

14 

Having first washed the entrails and the feet with water.

15 

Then offering for the sin of the people, he slew the he goat: and expiating the altar,

16 

He offered the holocaust.

17 

Adding in the sacrifice the libations, which are offered withal, and burning them upon the altar, besides the ceremonies of the morning holocaust.

18 

He immolated also the bullock and the ram, and peace offerings of the people: and his sons brought him the blood, which he poured upon the altar round about.

19 

The fat also of the bullock, and the rump of the ram, and the two little kidneys with their fat, and the caul of the liver,

20 

They put upon the breasts. And after the fat was burnt upon the altar,

21 

Aaron separated their breasts, and the right shoulders, elevating them before the Lord, as Moses had commanded.

22 

And stretching forth his hands to the people, he blessed them. And so the victims for sin, and the holocausts, and the peace offerings being finished, he came down.

23 

And Moses and Aaron went into the tabernacle of the testimony, and afterwards came forth and blessed the people. And the glory of the Lord appeared to all the multitude.

24 

And, behold, a fire, coming forth from the Lord, devoured the holocaust, and the fat that was upon the altar: which when the multitude saw, they praised the Lord, falling on their faces.

Catechism

Catechism of the Council of Trent, Part 1, Chapter 5, Sections 5-6

Why He Descended into Hell

Having explained these things, the pastor should next proceed to teach that Christ the Lord descended into hell, in order that having despoiled the demons, He might liberate from prison those holy Fathers and the other just souls, and might bring them into heaven with Himself. This He accomplished in an admirable and most glorious manner; for His august presence at once shed a celestial lustre upon the captives and filled them with inconceivable joy and delight. He also imparted to them that supreme happiness which consists in the vision of God, thus verifying His promise to the thief on the cross: This day thou shalt be with me in paradise.

This deliverance of the just was long before predicted by Osee in these words: O death, I will be thy death; O hell, I will be thy bite; ' and also by the Prophet Zachary: Thou also by the blood of thy testament hast sent forth thy prisoners out of the pit, wherein is no water; and lastly, the same is expressed by the Apostle in these words: Despoiling the principalities and powers, he hath exposed them confidently in open show, triumphing over them in himself.

But the better to understand the efficacy of this mystery we should frequently call to mind that not only the just who were born after the coming of our Lord, but also those who preceded Him from the days of Adam, or who shall be born until the end of time, obtain their salvation through the benefit of His Passion. Wherefore before His death and Resurrection heaven was closed against every child of Adam. The souls of the just, on their departure from this life, were either borne to the bosom of Abraham; or, as is still the case with those who have something to be washed away or satisfied for, were purified in the fire of purgatory.

To Proclaim His Power

Another reason why Christ the Lord descended into hell is that there, as well as in heaven and on earth, He might proclaim His power and authority, and that every knee should bow, of those that are in heaven, on earth, and under the earth.

And here, who is not filled with admiration and astonishment when he contemplates the infinite love of God for man! Not satisfied with having undergone for our sake a most cruel death, He penetrates the inmost recesses of the earth to transport into bliss the souls whom He so dearly loved and whose liberation from thence He had achieved.

Second Part of this Article: "The Third Day He arose again from the Dead"

We now come to the second part of the Article, and how indefatigable should be the labours of the pastor in its exposition we learn from these words of the Apostle: Be mindful that the Lord Jesus Christ is risen again from the dead. This command no doubt was addressed not only to Timothy, but to all others who have care of souls.

The meaning of the Article is this: Christ the Lord expired on the cross, on Friday at the ninth hour, and was buried on the evening of the same day by His disciples, who with the permission of the governor, Pilate, laid the body of the Lord, taken down from the cross, in a new tomb, situated in a garden near at hand. Early on the morning of the third day after His death, that is, on Sunday, His soul was reunited to His body, and thus He who was dead during those three days arose, and returned again to life, from which He had departed when dying.