original 2005

 

The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ

Ex 24:3-8 When Moses came to the people and related all the words and ordinances of the LORD, they all answered with one voice, "We will do everything that the LORD has told us." Moses then wrote down all the words of the LORD and, rising early the next day, he erected at the foot of the mountain an altarand twelve pillars for the twelve tribes of Israel. Then, having sent certain young men of the Israelites to offer holocausts and sacrifice young bulls as peace offerings to the LORD, Moses took half of the blood and put it in large bowls; the other half he splashed on the altar. Taking the book of the covenant, he read it aloud to the people, who answered, "All that the LORD has said, we will heed and do." Then he took the blood and sprinkled it on the people, saying, "This is the blood of the covenant that the LORD has made with you in accordance with all these words of his."

Ps 116:12-13, 15-16, 17-18 R. (13) I will take the cup of salvation, and call on the name of the Lord.
How shall I make a return to the LORD for all the good he has done for me?
The cup of salvation I will take up,and I will call upon the name of the LORD.
R. I will take the cup of salvation, and call on the name of the Lord.
Precious in the eyes of the LORD is the death of his faithful ones.
I am your servant, the son of your handmaid; you have loosed my bonds.
R. I will take the cup of salvation, and call on the name of the Lord.
To you will I offer sacrifice of thanksgiving, and I will call upon the name of the LORD. My vows to the LORD I will pay in the presence of all his people.
R. I will take the cup of salvation, and call on the name of the Lord.


Heb 9:11-15 Brothers and sisters: When Christ came as high priestof the good things that have come to be, passing through the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made by hands, that is, not belonging to this creation, he entered once for all into the sanctuary, not with the blood of goats and calves but with his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bull sand the sprinkling of a heifer's ashes can sanctify those who are defiled so that their flesh is cleansed, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from dead works to worship the living God. For this reason he is mediator of a new covenant: since a death has taken place for deliverance from transgressions under the first covenant, those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance.

Mk 14:12-16, 22-26 On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread,when they sacrificed the Passover lamb, Jesus’disciples said to him, "Where do you want us to goand prepare for you to eat the Passover?" He sent two of his disciples and said to them, "Go into the city and a man will meet you, carrying a jar of water. Follow him. Wherever he enters, say to the master of the house, 'The Teacher says, "Where is my guest room where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?" 'Then he will show you a large upper room furnished and ready. Make the preparations for us there. "The disciples then went off, entered the city, and found it just as he had told them; and they prepared the Passover. While they were eating, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, gave it to them, and said, "Take it; this is my body." Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, and they all drank from it. He said to them,"This is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed for many. Amen, I say to you, I shall not drink again the fruit of the vine until the day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God." Then, after singing a hymn,they went out to the Mount of Olives.

In the first reading Moses is in dialogue with the people and records the new covenant with God. There is animal sacrifice to God and the blood of the new covenant. Moses sprinkles the blood of the sacrifices on the people and announces that this is the blood of the new covenant. The people vow to heed the words and instructions of God. The Gospel reading today ties into the first reading. Jesus in offering the bread as His body and the wine as His blood says "This is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed for many." Jesus sacrificed his life to save us from the "transgressions of the first covenant." The sacrament of the Eucharist is the body of Christ and the cup of salvation...the blessing cup, the saving cup.

Jesus prayed in the garden at the Mount of Olives that if it was possible for God, the Father to take this cup from him. The sweat and tears that came from Jesus in that time of tribulation that night were of blood. The cup of sacrifice that He had prayed to not take, He took, willingly, obediently knowing that the pain would be incredible for Him but that it would be saving for the followers, the disciples. There is no greater love than to lay down your life for a friend. A great love, great enough to give all for the love of them. The love of Christ is a gift and a blessing. I pray today that my heart grow in the love of others.