First Reading
Exodus 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 altar and 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.”

Second Reading
Hebrews 9:11-15

Brothers and sisters: When Christ came as high priest of 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 bulls and 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.

Gospel Cycle Cycle B
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.

Lots of people today have never been in contact with blood, with the slaughtering of animals and generally not at all with blood being thrown on them. Nevertheless, we still recognize that a person without blood must be a dead person. We recognize that blood is essential for life. Lots of us know that sometimes a gift of blood to another person saves that person’s life. It may not be too difficult for us to understand that we can give our life, our body and our blood, for another person.

Today’s readings are filled with the imagery of body and blood sacrificed so that others can be bound together with life and to God. If a group of modern people make a commitment together, there may be other symbols, such as a uniform, a similar way of doing things or with various hand symbols. Gangs have rituals and so do organized groups.

The reading from Exodus which is our first reading today is about establishing a covenant between a group of people and God. This covenant was a promise that they would all follow the words and ordinances given by God to Moses. The covenant together was ratified by sprinkling the blood of young, sacrificed bulls on the people.

The Letter to the Hebrews then speaks about the blood of Christ and how much more powerful it is than the blood of sacrificed animals. If a person has ever been in danger and someone else has sacrificed his or her own life for them, that person easily understands the strength of giving one’s life for another. Married spouses should be able to sacrifice their lives for one another or for their children. There are wonderful examples of this in time of war, even in the worst of wars. There are also examples such as Maximilian Kolbe and many others who were willing to give their lives so that another person might live.

Jesus is God. He claims this for Himself in every Gospel in the way He speaks, the way He uses Scriptures, His miracles and His way of living. God took on body and blood in Christ Jesus and became fully human while remaining fully Divine. This Man-God Jesus then freely choose to give His life for us, for you and for me. It is a gift beyond anything that we could have dreamed up on our own. Jesus chooses to continue to give this gift to us in the Eucharist.

It is such an incredible gift to us, that every time we are able to participate in the Eucharist, we are able to receive in such a special way this gift of the Body and Blood of Christ, given for us.

Today we celebrate this gift. The solemnity is a re-echoing of Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday. May our hearts be ever more open to this gift and respond to such Divine Love and Mercy with joy and generosity.