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This has been admitted by some and in recent times by Talhofer and
Father Lepin[2445] because Christ offers to God the Father
His glorious scars and because the Scripture says: "I saw the Lamb
standing as it were slain."[2446]
There is a considerable difficulty here, because first of all
sacrifice in the strict sense implies external immolation, at least
sacramentally, and this does not continue in heaven any more than the
sacraments do, because the blessed see God directly, without sensible
signs.
Moreover, it seems that the sacrifice in heaven would not be
subordinated, but coordinated with the sacrifice on the cross, whereby
therefore the work of our redemption would not have been completed, and
would be contrary to what our Lord said in dying: "It is
consummated."[2447] In fact, it seems that the sacrifice in
heaven as such would be more perfect than the sacrifice on the cross,
which latter would be subordinated to it as a disposition to its
ultimate perfection.
Wherefore neither a new sacrifice in heaven in the strict sense must be
admitted, nor a new and formal oblation of the sacrifice on the cross,
but merely its consummation, which, St. Thomas says, "consists in
this, that those for whom the sacrifice is offered, obtain the end of
the sacrifice... according to Heb. 9:11, that Christ is a
high priest of the good things to come, for which reason the priesthood
of Christ is said to be eternal."[2448]
Nevertheless, until the end of the world, Christ glorious appeals to
the Father for us, as the fruits of the sacrifice on the cross are
applied to us, and thus also He actually offers the Masses that are
daily offered by His priests. After the end of the world, Christ as
our High Priest along with the members of His mystical body, will
offer to the Father the cult of praise, adoration, and thanksgiving,
wherein the sacrifice on the cross will be consummated without a new
sacrifice in the strict sense.[2449]
The sacrifice of the cross, however, is not actually but virtually
perpetuated in its consummation; for it is more perfect to reach
consummation than to tend toward it, and the mystical body already
glorified is more perfect than the mystical body not yet glorified.
Likewise, generally speaking, merit is subordinated to the reward
toward which it tends.
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