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Differences Between the Lord’s Supper and the Catholic Mass

The entire account given in the New Testament of the matter in which our Lord Himself instituted the ordinance of the Lord’s Supper is found in Matthew 26:26-29; Mark 14:23-25; Luke 22:19,20; 1 Corinthians 11:23-25. We now compare what He did and said, with what the priest says and does when he celebrates Mass.

1. JESUS CHRIST spoke in a loud distinct voice, so that the disciples heard Him. But the priest mutters over in a low secret whisper what are called the words of consecration so that few present can hear or understand what he says.

2. JESUS CHRIST said, “This chalice is the New Testament in My Blood.” But the priest says that He said, “This is the chalice of My blood of the New and Eternal Testament, mystery of the faith,” which is not true, as we may learn from the sentences quoted in the Scriptures above.

3. JESUS CHRIST broke the bread, before He pronounced the words, THIS IS MY BODY, which the Catholics call the words of consecration, and by virtue of which they say that the bread is transubstantiated into the body of Christ. BUT THE PRIEST pronounces these words first, and then handles the Host, to make the people think he breaks the body of Christ; so that if the pronouncing the words of consecration be what changes the bread into Christ’s body, the bread our Lord broke was not so changed and therefore was a different thing from the Host.

4. JESUS CHRIST gave the bread into the hands of the disciples. BUT THE PRIEST puts the wafer into the mouth of each communicant himself.

5. JESUS CHRIST gave the disciples what the Scripture calls bread, and what was in the chalice He called wine, or the fruit of the vine. BUT THE PRIEST in the Mass gives the people what he says is not bread, but the body of Christ and drinks himself what he says is not wine, but the blood of Christ.

6. JESUS CHRIST did not elevate either the bread or the wine. BUT THE PRIEST lifts up the Host, and the people worship it.

7. JESUS CHRIST did not speak of any sacrifice being offered to God in this ordinance which He then instituted, BUT THE PRIEST professes to offer in the Mass the Body of Christ as a sacrifice for the sins of the quick and the dead.

8. JESUS CHRIST said no prayers for the dead. BUT THE PRIEST prays for those who “sleep the sleep of peace.” Now this prayer must have been added to the Mass before purgatory was invented, because if a soul is tormented in the fire of purgatory, it cannot be the sleep of peace; and if it is in heaven, it has no need of prayers.

9. JESUS CHRIST said nothing of saints or angels. BUT THE PRIEST mentions both, blessing the incense through Michael the Archangel, and praying God to command an angel to carry the consecrated Host to Heaven.

10. JESUS CHRIST said, “Do this in remembrance of Me.” BUT THE PRIEST says, “solemnizing and communicating in the first place the remembrance of THE GLORIOUS MARY, EVER VIRGIN.”

11. JESUS CHRIST instituted this ordinance as a remembrance of His death and suffering; whereby remission of sin is granted to those who believe on His Name. BUT THE PRIEST says Mass for the purpose of obtaining from God some temporal blessing, as the cure of a sick person, or of sick cattle, preservation of the crops from frost or blight; and the Mass of St. Giles, of St. Francis, St. Catherine, and others. There are also loud Masses and low Masses, great Masses and small Masses, day Masses, episcopal Masses, Masses in white, in green, in violet, and all other colors.

12. JESUS CHRIST instituted the ordinance after supper. BUT THE PRIEST says Mass fasting.

13. JESUS CHRIST says nothing about the Cross on which He was to die. BUT THE PRIEST, in the Mass on Good Friday, which is called the Mass of the presanctified, says to the people, “Behold the wood of the Cross, come let us worship.” And an anthem sung on that day contains these words, “We worship Thy Cross, O Lord.” And speaking to the Cross, they say, “Faithful Cross, the only noble among the Trees.”

14. JESUS CHRIST did not command the bread to be carried in procession, or says what was to be done with the crumbs. BUT THE PRIEST CARRIES THE HOST in procession, in all places where the Roman Catholic religion is established. There is a canon in their Church, to tell what is to be done when a mouse eats or bites the “body of Christ;” another, to direct what is to be done when it is lost, or carried away by the wind; another orders the priest to swallow a fly or spider if it falls into the cup, unless it turns the stomach; and that if the blood freeze, to wrap the chalice in hot cloths. But the most notable one is that which directs that if the priest be sick and vomit he is to separate the portions of the Host from the rest of the vomit and swallow them again! Who can believe that things so absurd and so nauseous are to be derived from the simple account of the New Testament?

Here are fourteen particulars in which the celebration of Mass contradicts the institution of the Lord’s Supper by Jesus Christ Himself. It is plain to see that the Church of Rome has, without any authority from Scripture, altered some things, left out some things, and added some things, so as to make the Mass quite different from the ordinance of the Lord’s Supper. Thus no Catholic ever receives the Lord’s Supper properly. He has never commemorated Christ in this ordinance, for he is taught to commemorate the Virgin Mary. The service he attends is not founded on the Scriptures, but on the commands of a counterfeit Christian Church. We remind all Roman Catholics that Christ has said, “In vain do they worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men” (Matthew 15:9).

We invite you to be converted to the true Christ of the Bible, Who never changes. He is the same yesterday, today and forever. Trust Him as your all-sufficient Savior, and Lord of your life. Be saved from Hell, and cleansed from sin by His blood. Then unite with a Fundamental, Protestant, Bible-teaching church in your community. —Rev. Alex O. Dunlap

“And every priest standeth daily … offering oftentimes the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins” (Hebrews 10:11).

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