In his merciful providence, God prepared his people for the sprinkling of the Blood of his Son with the sprinkling of the blood of young bulls, which marked the inauguration of the old covenant. In his commentary on the Mass, Blessed Odo OSB (d. 1113), bishop of Cambrai, wrote of the Precious Blood of our Lord in the Sacrifice of the new covenant:
" 'In a similar way, when supper was ended, he took this precious chalice.' If Christ took the chalice at the supper, he takes this chalice now. It is the same chalice, then and now. Unless it is the same, it cannot be said that he takes the chalice now. It is one when it is taken by hands in order to be blessed, and it is not yet Blood, but still wine, because of the unity of the Faith, and because of the One to whom and I'm whose honor it is offered. The chalice is taken daily to be blessed so that what was done then might be done now. When the chalice is taken, the divine words used then and now are the same because this Faith is one through the whole Church, and the One who to whom it is offered is one, just as it is one altar in all the churches because on it the one Sacrifice of the Body of The Lord is offered daily, according to one Faith.
" 'This precious chalice.' The chalice of wine is still called 'precious' even though it will be made precious when there shall be Blood in it. As it is written in Psalm 22, 5: 'My chalice which inebriates me, how precious it is!' Or, it is so-called in comparison with the chalice offered by Melchizedek or others in the Old Testament, or on account of the majesty of the One to whom it is offered. That is: We offer this to your precious majesty."
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