The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, Sunday, June 6, 2021

Mark 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 go and 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 ancient times, when a person needed to make a sacrifice to the gods, he brought the animal prescribed for the sacrifice to the temple of the god whose favor he desired to obtain.  He did not offer the animal himself, but gave it to the god’s priest, who offered it on his behalf.  The animal was killed and then burned on the altar, using wood for fuel.  Afterwards, the priest took a certain portion of the meat for himself and a certain portion was given to the person who had brought the animal.  The major portion was retained for the god and it was entirely burned up.  The meat, then, was turned into smoke, so to speak, so that the god residing in the sky could be refreshed by it.  When a person ate the meat from the sacrifice, he considered that he was dining with the god.

The Jews understood the Temple sacrifices in a similar manner although they did not think in such coarse terms.  They knew from the Law that God was to be offered certain sacrifices at certain times, but they also knew from the Prophets that God did not need these sacrifices.  They were signs of their acknowledgment of their dependence on him, and signs of their desire to be blessed or forgiven by him.  The time for signs ended with the Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ, who fulfilled the old Law with its sacrifices.  By taking on our flesh, the Son of God was able to offer himself as the one true Sacrifice.  By instructing his Apostles — and, through them, us — to eat his Body and drink his Blood, he invites us to a divine meal which nourishes us for eternal life.

“Take it; this is my Body.” The Greek word translated here as “take” means “to eat”, “to consume”.  We receive the Body of Christ in order to be received into the Body of Christ and so to be transformed by the Lord so that we more completely become members of his Body.  “This is my Blood of the covenant, which will be shed for many.”  The first covenant, that of Moses, was broken by the obstinate sins of the people.  This covenant had made the Hebrews God’s chosen people.  The new covenant is eternal because it is made through the Blood of Christ and it depends not on the obedience of people, but on that of the Lord Jesus, who offered himself for us according to the Father’s will.  In union with him, then, we enjoy the eternal benefits of this covenant, not least of which is the communion we share in and with Christ, who loves us so much.