Biblical Dates for the Birth of Yochanan the Immerser and
for the Conception and Birth of Yeshua HaMashiach

Some reasons why we choose
to not celebrate Christ Mass

First and foremost, there is neither Biblical command nor Biblical precedent for celebrating Messiah’s birth at all. In ancient Hebrew tradition, it is the anniversary of a person’s death that is commemorated, not of their birth.

Second, God has established an entire annual cycle of feasts and festivals that He gave to Israel to be celebrated forever. There is nothing in Scripture that suggests that God is pleased when His people seek to worship Him in ways of their own designing; in fact, the exact opposite is quite true.

Third, the Festival that God has ordained that coincides with Yeshua’s birth is Sukkot [Tabernacles], which is the actual date of Messiah’ birth [CLICK HERE]:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. … The Word became flesh, and lived [the word that Yochanan actually used here is not “lived” but “tabernacled”] among us. We saw his glory, such glory as of the one and only Son of the Father, full of grace and truth. [Yochanan [John] 1:1,14]

Fourth and finally, Christ Mass has its deepest roots in the Babylon Mystery Religion where the Queen of Heaven and her infant son were worshipped as deity. When Emperor Constantine made “Christianity” the official religion of the Roman Empire, he succeeded in creating a blend of pagan Roman polytheism and the Messianic branch of Judaism known as “The Way.” That paganized Roman religion has survived until today as “Christianity.” The Romans celebrated a winter feast to their false god Saturn, called Saturnalia, which was celebrated by the giving and receiving of gifts. All that the apostate Roman church actually did was to continue the same pagan winter feast and give it a new “Bible-sounding” name: Christ Mass.

The Roman Catholic Mass is, in their own words, “… a continuation and a re-offering of Christ’s sacrifice on Calvary.” [See in context] Since the Christ Mass is rooted in paganism and is a festival in honor of the false god Saturn (according to Scripture, all false gods are really demons posing as deity), then any sacrifice that is rooted in that paganism would be the same as a sacrifice to a demon. The Bible says that all Gentile [non-Jewish] sacrifices are sacrifices to demons:

But I say that the things which the Goyim [Gentiles] sacrifice, they sacrifice to demons, and not to God, and I don't desire that you would have communion with demons. [1 Corinthians 10:20 - Show Context]

The Bible also teaches that the sacrifice of Yeshua haMashiach (Jesus Christ) was a once-for-all event that can never be repeated.

For Christ did not enter a holy place made with hands, a {mere} copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; nor was it that He would offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the holy place year by year with blood that is not his own. Otherwise, He would have needed to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now once at the consummation of the ages He has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself. And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this {comes} judgment, so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without {reference to} sin, to those who eagerly await Him. [Hebrews 9:24-28]

By this will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all. Every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins; but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, SAT DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF God, waiting from that time onward UNTIL HIS ENEMIES BE MADE A FOOTSTOOL FOR HIS FEET. For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified. And the Holy Spirit also testifies to us; for after saying, “THIS IS THE COVENANT THAT I WILL MAKE WITH THEM AFTER THOSE DAYS, SAYS THE LORD: I WILL PUT MY LAWS UPON THEIR HEART, AND ON THEIR MIND I WILL WRITE THEM,” {He then says,} “AND THEIR SINS AND THEIR LAWLESS DEEDS I WILL REMEMBER NO MORE.” Now where there is forgiveness of these things, there is no longer {any} offering for sin. [Hebrews 10:10-18]

Therefore, we do not celebrate Christ Mass because:

(1) it is a pagan practice,

(2) it is considered a re-sacrifice of our true High Priest,

(3) it is therefore a sacrifice to demons, and

(4) because we know the Truth, for us to participate in Christ Mass would for us be a sin.

So then, anyone who knows the right thing to do and fails to do it is committing a sin. [James 4:17 - Show Context ]

The following description of the mass is taken
from “A Tour of the New Mass” at
www.catholic-pages.com/mass/newmass.asp.
It is not our intention to engage in “Catholic-bashing.”
We merely present this information for your careful consideration.

The Liturgy of the Eucharist

The Priest receives these gifts [the offering] and says a blessing over them, offering them to God, the work and fruit of our hands, highlighting the great mystery that God will take food and drink we have made and transform them into a Heavenly Meal, the Body and Blood of Our Lord Jesus.

After blessing the gifts, the Priest prays that God will cleanse him of all iniquity and symbolically washes his fingers which will touch the Lord.

The People then pray that God will accept the Priest’s Sacrifice “for the Praise and Glory of His Name, for our good and the good of all His Church.”

The Mass has its beginning in the Last Supper when Our Lord first changed bread and wine into His Body and Blood. But it also has its links in the great events of Good Friday. Each Mass is a continuation and a re-offering of Christ’s sacrifice on Calvary. It takes the holocausts and burnt, bloody sacrifices of the Old Testament and transforms them into the Holy Sacrifice of the Lamb of God that redeemed all mankind. [RETURN]

After the Priest recites a short prayer of praise to God — the “Preface” — the People sing the Heavenly Chant of the “Sanctus” “with all the Angels and Saints:”

Holy, Holy, Holy Lord,
God of Power and Might,
Heaven and Earth are full of Your glory
Hosanna in the Highest!
Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord
Hosanna in the Highest!

The People then kneel in readiness for the moment when Jesus will become truly, physically present on the altar.

The Priest begins to pray a great prayer of thanksgiving and supplication to God called the “Eucharistic Prayer.” There are a number of Eucharistic Prayers for the Priest to choose from:

The First Eucharistic Prayer is a translation of the Canon. The Canon was the only Eucharistic Prayer that was said in the Latin Rite from the time of the Counter-Reformation until Vatican II. It is rich in the history of the People of God, it calls on our Jewish heritage, it reminds us of our Heavenly goal, it calls on each of the Apostles and the Saints and the Martyrs of the Early Church, each by name, to intercede for us. (It is my personal favourite!)

The Second Eucharistic Prayer (one of the new ones introduced by Pope Paul VI after Vatican II) is based on the Eucharistic Prayers in use in the very early Church. It is beautiful in its simplicity and many appreciate how it links us to the prayer of the early Church. Many also appreciate that it is so much shorter than the others! (It is certainly the most often used, the “default” Eucharistic Prayer, if you like!)

The Third Eucharistic Prayer draws greatly on the liturgical traditions and imagery of the Eastern Church.

There is also a Fourth Eucharistic Prayer and a number written especially for Masses with Children.

The common elements of the Eucharistic Prayers are:

The Consecration -- the moment when the Priest transforms the bread and wine into the Body and Blood of Our Lord by repeating the words of consecration:

This is my Body (hic est enim corpus meum)
This is the cup of my Blood (hoc est calix sanguinis meus)

Prayer for the Church

Prayer for the Pope, the local Ordinary (Bishop), all priests and all the Faithful

Prayer for the Faithful Departed (those Faithful who have died)

Invocation of the Blessed Virgin, the Apostles and the Saints

Finally, the Doxology of Praise by the Priest followed by the People’s “Great Amen”:

Through Him, with Him, in Him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, all glory and honour are Yours, Almighty Father, for ever and ever. Amen.

The People then stand to say the Lord’s Prayer together and to share the Kiss of Peace with each other (usually a handshake or a nod of the head!)

The Priest then breaks the Body of Christ while the People pray, “Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.” (Agnus Dei, qui tollis peccata mundi, miserere nobis).

The Priest then invites us again to acknowledge our unworthiness in the “Domine, non sum dignus”:

“Lord, I am not worthy to receive you but only say the word, and I shall be healed.”

The Priest then eats and drinks the Body and Blood of the Lord before proceeding to distribute the Sacrament to each of the People in turn who wish and are able to receive communion.

This is the great pinnacle of the Mass, of the Christian Life, of the Church, the moment when Jesus, truly present, Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity, enters into our very being, our bodies and souls, making us one together with Him and with each other, cleaving us to His Mystical Body, the Church.

Needless to say, a few moments’ quiet reflection and then a song of great joy and praise follow this blessed moment!

At this stage, a second collection is usually taken. The proceeds of this collection are for the needs of the parish (maintenance of the Church buildings, paying for the electricity, funds for the Parish School, etc.) and to provide for the priests.

After consuming any remaining Precious Blood and placing any remaining hosts in the Tabernacle, the Priest cleans and purifies the sacred vessels and then sits quietly for a time in reflection and thanksgiving.

Page last revised Friday, 22 February 2013 05:54 AM

About the Author

Except where otherwise specifically indicated, the opinions expressed on this website are my own, are sometimes highly speculative in nature and subject to differing interpretations, and rarely reflect the views or opinions of any other organization or individual. Virtually every person will find something on this site with which they take offense or disagree. If you disagree with my opinions, please CLICK HERE before contacting me. If you are offended by this site’s content, click here.

In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C., section 107, some material on this web site is provided without permission from the copyright owner, only for purposes of criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, and research under the “fair use” provisions of federal copyright laws. Except for “fair use” non-profit educational purposes, these materials may not be distributed further, without permission of the copyright owner.

*Ari Levitt is the shem kodesh of Messianic Pastor Dr. Rickard (Ari) Levitt-Sawyer. As the free expression of my religious beliefs, the content of this website is protected under the provisions of the First Amendment of the United States Constitution.

In the event of my suspicious demise, let be clearly understood that I am not suicidal. I have, however, received countless death threats from “moderate Muslims” in response to the content of this website. I now have reason to expect retaliation from my own government as well. Here’s why.

Some reasons why we choose to not celebrate Christ Mass

The Liturgy of the Eucharist

Some reasons why we choose
to not celebrate Christ Mass