Sunday, March 31, 2013

*BEST OF DTB #260* The Catholic Defender: The Cup Of Salvation

The Bible (Psalms 116:12) asked the very most important question, "How shall I make a return to the LORD for all the good he has done for me?"

The answer might surprise you, but how many of us over look the answer?

Is it that all we need do is make a decision to make amends?

Do we simply need to say a "sinner's prayer"?

Do we simply find a "bible" church? What is the answer coming from the Bible?

"The cup of salvation I will take up, and I will call upon the name of the LORD."

"The cup of salvation will I take up..." This is very important. St Paul refers to this "cup of salvation" as the "cup of blessing", which was the third cup in the Jewish Passover meal.

It has now become the "cup of salvation" in the new and everlasting Covenant.

Consider James 5:19-20, "My brothers, if anyone among you should stray from the truth and someone bring him back, he should know that whoever brings back a sinner from the error of his way will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins." 

This Prodigal Son will receive the "cup of salvation" once again after being restored to the fullness of truth. Consider Psalms 23:5-6, "You set the table before me as my enemies watch; You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows." There is a connection between the table of the Lord and the cup of salvation.

The Lord gives the best of himself, body, blood, soul, and divinity, so we can truly receive the "oil of gladness".

Easter Vigil is a time of conversion, many are accepting the Lord as they come forward to receive the anointing of oil and the cup of salvation. The cup is very important during the passover meal. There were four cups used at different times during the passover. They represented the following:

1 The first cup of wine is called the cup of sanctification. It is to commemorate the promise: “I will bring you out.”

2 The second cup is called the cup of plagues – the plagues that came upon Egypt – and it relates to the second promise: “I will free you from being slaves.”

3 The third cup is called the cup of redemption, where God says: “I will redeem you.”

4 The fourth cup is called the cup of completion, where God says: “I will take you as my own people.”

Notice the third cup, "cup of redemption", that this would be the main representation of Christ who is the redeemer of mankind, that is why St. Paul refers to this cup as the "cup of blessing".  

It is this cup that is central to the Mass and our cup of salvation.

By receiving this cup, we renew the Covenant with the Lord and truly, our cup overflows.

Also notice the 4th cup, during the Last Supper, remember that Jesus did not offer the traditional 4th cup, but he saved it until the cross.

This is why the Mass is known as the "Sacrifice of the Mass", because the Last Supper is tied into the Passion of Jesus and our redemption..

The cup of completion is taken literally by Jesus, "After this, aware that everything was now finished, in order that the scripture might be fulfilled, Jesus said 'I thirst.' There was a vessel filled with common wine.  So they put a sponge soaked in wine on a sprig of hyssop and put it up to his mouth.  When Jesus had taken the wine, he said, 'It is finished.' And bowing his head, he handed over the spirit." (John 19:28-30)

The cup of salvation is for those who have found their salvation.  For those who have picked up their cross and follows Jesus.  For those who cry out to the Lord for mercy, the Lord hears the cry of the poor.


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