The Altar of Sacrafice
On the evening of October 22, 1982 Cardinal Humberto Medeiros came to Saint Agnes Parish to consecrate our new Altar of Sacrifice. The Upper Church had been newly refurbished - painted and redecorated. The Sanctuary, or worship space, was completely renovated. A new Altar, Pulpit, Presider’s Chair and Baptismal Font and Organ were installed. The Blessed Sacrament Chapel was also inaugurated.
The Altar of Sacrifice is the one necessary piece of furniture for worship. It is the most prominent and should be the most beautiful. The Altar is our primary Icon of Jesus. The late Mr. Blaise Drayton, of The Guild in Worcester, designed the Altar and added some polychrome and gold decorations to the front. He took as his motifs the clusters of grapes and grape leaves from the Altar Window above to bring together these two jewels of our church: the Altar of Sacrifice and the Christ Window celebrating that sacrifice of love and redemption. In fact, he designed the Altar as a fifth century table of sacrifice that has brought beauty, dignity, solemnity and grace to our Sanctuary.
As a freestanding altar it is one that brings a wonderful liturgical ambiance to an already beautiful church. Our Altar has received many, many compliments over the years. As it stands in quiet beauty it is an eye-catcher. Its prominence is clear and certain. It speaks of the primary place the worship of God has in our Catholic lives. It is the hallowed place of sacrifice, where the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus is celebrated and cherished. It is where we gather as His People, as His Body, to worship our Father. There is not a more sacred place than this holy place - the Altar of worship.
When Cardinal Medeiros consecrated our Altar that evening in October of 1982, he poured Sacred Chrism on it before a hushed and awe-struck congregation, and prayed down the Holy Spirit to sanctify and hallow it. Since Jesus is the Christ, the Anointed of the Father, so the altar as a sign of Christ is anointed. Ever since that memorable event, thousands of people have come to worship and celebrate the Eucharist with us in joyful times and sorrowful times, but always with the Lord Jesus presiding as our High Priest.
We can surely say with St. John Chrysostom: "This altar is an object of wonder; by nature it is wood, but it is made holy when it receives the Body of Christ."
The author of the Book of Revelation shares with us his view of the heavenly court at worship: "Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea, everything in the universe, cry out:
‘To the one who sits on the throne and to the Lamb
be blessing and honor, glory and might,
forever and ever.’" (Rev. 5:13)
Glory and praise forever be to our God!