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.
This mystery of the Body and Blood of the Lord is so shocking that most people cannot even believe. Even lots of people who go to Church regularly and who even receive communion do not believe that the bread and the wine of the Holy Mass really become the Body and Blood of Christ. So many people still believe that it is just a symbol and not a reality.
Our whole Catholic tradition has had enormous debates about this reality and always we end up with the same belief, if we are Catholics: the bread and the wine at Mass become truly the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ—not a symbol but a reality.
If God can become man, if Jesus can be truly God and truly man, then surely Jesus can give us Himself as a reality in the Holy Mass. Always we are brought to this point: do I believe that God has taken our human flesh and become one of us in the person of Jesus Christ?
The first reading today is from the Book of Exodus and speaks to us about blood and sprinkling in blood. We modern people often have no sense of blood and how it has been used by our ancestors as a sign of life, a sign of commitment and a sign of bonding with God and with others. We no longer have much contact with the killing of animals and even with human blood we have very little awareness. Our ancestors saw blood as a sign of life, as a way of commitment and as a way of bonding.
The second reading is from the Letter to the Hebrews and points out the obvious: human blood or the blood of animals is only temporary. The blood of Christ, however, is forever. Jesus is God and man and His sacrifice of His own life for us carries eternal and complete consequences for all of us.
The Gospel today is from the Gospel of Mark and gives the account of the Last Supper and the words of Jesus: This is my body! This is my blood!
The documents from the early Church show that the first Christian believers accepted this sacrament and realized that Christ is truly present. Some did not believe but then they left the Christian assembly. There was no philosophical vocabulary yet in place to describe this sacrament, but the writings are clear: Jesus becomes truly present in the Eucharistic Sacrifice.
What is the difference? Does it make any difference? Surely those who believe that Christ is truly present have a different relationship with the Lord! When Jesus makes Himself present to us in the Eucharist, it allows us to develop a deep and personal relationship with the living God. This would not be possible if the Eucharist is only symbol and not reality.
When we live in a personal and close relationship with Jesus, our way of living the Christian life is different. Our Christian life is about a relationship with a living person: Jesus Christ. It is more about this relationship than it is about fulfilling any commandments or laws or expectations. Once we begin to live because we know that Jesus is present and loves us, then our life is a response to the present love of God.
Today as we celebrate this Solemnity, let us rejoice in the presence of the Lord. Let us deepen our love with the living God. Let us be aware of how much He loves us. May we respond every day with our own love, giving thanks for the gift of this Eucharist and rejoicing in the presence of the Lord.