WEEK B- Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ

MARK 14:12-16, 22-26

Jesus is the Eucharist 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.

1. EXPLORE IT! The Eucharist is a gift, but at the same time, more than a gift. Let’s take an example of a Christmas gift. Person A may give Person B a gift, perhaps, a phone. In doing so, person A gives person B a gift, and only the gift by itself. The Eucharist is different, for in giving us the Eucharist, we receive not only the gift, but the giver Himself! It is the ultimate love and self-giving of God, of Christ to us. In receiving this, we don’t just merely receive and just be in awe, but moreover in some way, act, for the Eucharist then is a surge and momentum that pushes us to imitate Christ: as Christ has given Himself for us in the Eucharist, so too are we called to give of ourselves to others. It is a momentum that motivates us to become Christ for others, to make Christ become incarnate in our love and service to our brothers and sisters, especially the least of them.

In looking at the Eucharistic banquet as a meal, a true meal is not just a matter of the food on the table and what you get, but moreover, it is also about what you give! The meal, first prefigured in the Old Testament in the Passover Meal then revealed in fullness in the Eucharistic banquet, not only gives strength to our bodies, but moreover, transform our identity- from being enslaved to being free, from being under the weight of death and sin, we now have salvation. Saint Alphonsus Liguori sums it up very well about the meaning of the Eucharist and Liturgy, “The Eucharist contains every other gift the Lord has given us- creation, redemption, the call to glory. [it is] not alone the pledge of Christ’s love; it is also a pledge that he wishes to give us paradise, or, as the Church says, “the pledge of future glory is given to us” (St Alphonsus de Liguori, The Practice of the Love of Jesus Christ).

2. CONNECT IT! In reflecting the “Eucharist account” in the Gospel of John, although the author surely knows about it Eucharist because of its reference in John 6, there is no traditional Eucharistic Narrative (institution of Eucharist in bread and wine). Rather, the “Eucharistic account” (or replaced) with the story of the foot washing and the Last Discourse (John 13: 120, 31-35; 14). In washing His disciple’s feet, He commanded them “I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do” (John 13:15). John is stressing to us the point that the Eucharist is not so much in the “food and drink” merely alone, but further, it is about the importance of our relationship, service, and love to demonstrate the essence of Christian Life and Christian community. Pope Francis, in many of his reflections and actions, always encourage us to reach

3. REFLECT IT! 

out to the poor and most abandoned. He has told us countless times that the joy of the Gospel is only communicated and made believable to others when we love and serve them. We ought to be concerned of the well-being of others, of justice in the world. What we hold as our faith and values must be translated into our action and witness in our reception of the Eucharist, the “total self-offering and giving” of God. If our Eucharist is not accompanied with our love and service to our brothers and sisters, then in my opinion, the Eucharist then has little meaning. In receiving the Eucharist, we are to commit ourselves in imitating Christ’s generosity and self-giving with our brothers and sisters, being the powerful witness to His Love and self-giving!

4. LIVE IT! [ Thankfulness ]

In what ways have you been “Eucharist” for others as described in the Connect it! Section?

THANKFULNESS — feeling or expressing gratitude; appreciative.

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In what other ways can you further your path of service?

The root word of Eucharist means “Thanksgiving.” Has your celebration of the Eucharist been a hymn of Thanksgiving back to God? Reflect on how you are and your participation during Mass.

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Have you been having the daily practice of Living the Eucharistic Day?

All experiences are graced experience. Reflect on your life journey. See how God was present and how God weaved it all together. Give thanks to God.

5. REMEMBER IT! 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.” (Mark 14: 22-24)

6. PRAY IT! My Jesus, I believe that You are present in the Most Holy Sacrament. I love You above all things, and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot at this moment receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You. Amen. (Saint Alphonsus Liguori, Visits to the Most Blessed Sacrament and the Blessed Virgin Mary.)