Holy Week: Tribe, Trauma and Transaction

In every other enactment of the ancient sacrifice of the victim the tribe only feel good for a short time. They feel relief and freedom when the threat has been eliminated, but of course it is not long before another enemy arises. It is not long before other problems surface and another threat appears. Then the whole sick cycle has to be repeated. Another sacrifice. Another war. Another victim. Another scapegoat.

But in Jesus Christ there is a difference. He is the one victim who has the purity and power to turn the whole thing around.

He is the one victim who can say, “You want to blame someone? Blame me. I’ll take the blame. I’ll take the sick cycle of projection and fear. I’ll accept it all. Put it on my back along with that cross.”

Then as he takes the blame willingly and with full authority he breaks the cycle. He establishes a new transaction.

This is the new covenant. Now, for the first time, the spell is broken, the old enchantment has no more power. The old religions die. The old sacrifices are no more.

In the transaction he says, “Accept what I have done and you will have freedom from the blame game.”

He says, “Accept what I have done for yourself and for the whole world. Then you will be free.”

Free. Free. Free. Free at last!

Now we understand what the Mass is about. The Paschal Cycle is the annual, weekly, daily presentation of this mystery. Here in a minute for the tribal trauma is re-played so that the transaction of the new covenant may be made accessible and acceptable.

Here the One, Full, Final Sacrifice is re-presented for all to see and for all to accept.