Exterior Acts of Religion: Oblations

We are all bound to make offerings, in one way or another, for the support of religion, as it exists in external and established practice according to the institution of Christ. Such offerings are oblations.

Offerings are made to priests (I Cor. 9:13) who are”to live by the altar.” And the priest has further use for offerings or oblations than his mere livelihood; he has to obtain what belongs to the functions of external worship, and hehas to dispense goods to the poor.

An offering or oblation is not to be made of thingsunjustly acquired or wrongfully possessed.

The Old Law required men to make an offering oroblation of “the first fruits,” that is, the best oftheir crops and harvestings. This was to make open and practicalacknowledgment that “the earth is the Lord’s and the fullness thereof,” and that the tiller of the soil does not create its fertility, but that all good things come from God. Even after the coming of the New Law, the offering of “firstfruits” continued to be a pious custom in some countries.