GOSPEL, Mark (14: 12-16, 22-26)
Gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark
The Passover with the Disciples
12 On the first day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb is sacrificed, his disciples said to him, “Where do you want us to go and make the preparations for you to eat the Passover?” 13 So he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you; follow him, 14 and wherever he enters, say to the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher asks, Where is my guest room where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ 15 He will show you a large room upstairs, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there.” 16 So the disciples set out and went to the city, and found everything as he had told them; and they prepared the Passover meal.
The Institution of the Lord’s Supper
22 While they were eating, he took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it he broke it, gave it to them, and said, “Take; this is my body.” 23 Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them, and all of them drank from it. 24 He said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. 25 Truly I tell you, I will never again drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”
Peter’s Denial Foretold
26 When they had sung the hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
The Gospel of the Lord
REFLECTION
In the sacrament of his Body and Blood, Jesus left us the memorial of his sacrifice so that we might celebrate it in memory of him, until he comes at the end of time. Therefore, whenever we celebrate the Eucharist, we proclaim the Lord’s death and we renew the Covenant with God, who, by his death, Christ sealed on our behalf.
He disappeared as a man in this world, but he invented a wonderful way to stay among us Christians. Using simple, everyday symbols, it conveys a profound message: Your complete delivery, like bread and wine, when consumed. When received with faith and love, it transforms us into Eucharistic people, blessed and given to others, as Jesus was. His presence in us feeds us and we, in turn, feed others.
The more we feed on Jesus, the more we will resemble Him and the more the Father will recognize us. The Eucharist is therefore Jesus, the new wine of the kingdom of God! It brings us joy, inner peace, strength and balance. All this, we realize in our life when we are strengthened with the bread that came from heaven.
Each day we need to “Christify ourselves”, let the thoughts of Christ possess us, lead and guide us in every step we take! In every communion, He makes us a proposal for life with a clear and objective purpose: To make us new people for a new world.
Let us participate in this adventure with Him. Let us Glorify our Lord and allow Christ to be our everything. May Christ grant us all a true desire for a redeeming inner change.
PRAYER
Lord Jesus Christ, who in this wonderful sacrament has left us the memory of His Passion, grant us the grace to so venerate the mysteries of your Body and Blood that we may continually feel the fruits of your redemption. You who are God with the Father in the unity of the Holy Spirit. Amen.