Mk 14:12-16, 22-26
On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, the day when the Passover Lamb was killed, the disciples asked him, “Where would you have us go to prepare the Passover meal for you?”
So Jesus sent two of his disciples with these instructions, “Go into the city, and there a man will come to you carrying a jar of water. Follow him to the house he enters and say to the owner, ‘The Master says, Where is the room where I may eat the Passover meal with my disciples?’ Then he will show you a large room upstairs, already arranged and furnished. There you will prepare for us.” The disciples went off. When they reached the city, they found everything just as Jesus had told them; and they prepared the Passover meal.
While they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed it and broke it, and gave it to them. And he said, “Take this, it is my body.” Then he took a cup, and after he had given thanks, he passed it to them and they all drank from it. And he said, “This is my blood, the blood of the Covenant, poured out for many. Truly, I say to you, I will not taste the fruit of the vine again, until that day when I drink the new wine in the kingdom of God.”
After singing psalms of praise, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
REFLECTION
READ: The first reading dwells on the ritual that ratified the Old Covenant. It invites us to appreciate what had happened at the foot of Mount Sinai so that we may have the full understanding of the Eucharist. The second reading shows the superiority of the New Covenant over the old one. The gospel gives emphasis on the love of Christ as he gave up his life to finally seal the New and Final Covenant in his blood. Indeed, our readings for this Sunday bring us to the meaning of the Eucharist as the sacrifice of the New Covenant made manifest through Jesus’ taking, blessing, breaking and sharing…
REFLECT: God took us out from our sinfulness, blessed us with a new birth in baptism and broke us to be open with our vulnerabilities and in truly following his commandment of love so that we may be able to share in giving witness to the everlasting love he has offered for all of us. How do we truly understand the Eucharist that Christ has established for us? Are we truly nurtured by the Holy Eucharist to follow Christ every day of our lives?
PRAY: Lord Jesus in the Eucharist, you showed us how to be broken in order to share life. We humbly ask you to forgive us for the times that we do not share, avoiding to face our brokenness due to lack of faith in your steadfast and reassuring presence. Give us courage to see our true selves, Lord, and mold us to be a real source of your light and life for others. Amen.
ACT: Make stronger your life with the Eucharist. Keep the Sabbath Day holy. Attend Mass every Sunday if not every day.
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