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Gospel Reading for June 02, 2024 – Mark 14: 12-16, 22-26
SUCH GREAT BLESSING!
Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Corpus Christi)
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.
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Everything was perfectly planned by God. The Last Supper had to be the Passover meal called Seder where foods of symbolic significance commemorating the Hebrews’ liberation from Egypt after the 10th plague when the Angel of Death “skipped over” and did not kill the firstborn of the houses of the Israelites where doorposts had blood of the Passover lamb. Prayers and traditional recitations are performed too, but no Passover meal is complete without the brittle unleavened bread.
We take note that of all meals Jesus shared with his disciples, it was only in this meal that upon sharing the bread, told them it was his body, and upon sharing the wine told them it was his blood. Jesus knew it was the last meal he would be having with them. It was the time to leave a legacy – THE EUCHARIST. Imagine the emotional state Jesus was in at that time. He knew he would suffer severely and be brutally treated by his torturers soon thereafter, but he still went through the motions of making sure that he will continue to be present among us even after he had gone to the Father. More than the Passover celebration of the Jews, through him, we will be liberated from all evil, from eternal damnation. No longer will it be the blood of the Passover lamb, but his own blood. It was the New Passover.
Perhaps, if at every Eucharistic Celebration we attend, we will remember all of these, we will understand much better that the Celebration has to be a very solemn one, where we will show reverence and respect by coming on time, by dressing up fit for such an occasion, and most importantly, by participating with all our hearts with such gratitude for being a recipient of SUCH GREAT BLESSING!
Let us ponder on this song written by Frs. Isidro and Ramirez, S.J., ITO ANG AKING KATAWAN –
Ito ang aking Katawan, handog ko sa inyo.
Ito ang kalis ng bagong tipan sa ‘king dugo.
Sa pagtanggap ninyo nito, tanggapin n’yo Ako.
At buhay na walang hanggan, dulot ko sa inyo.
Kanin ang aking katawan, handog ko sa inyo
at inumin dugong binuhos para sa inyo.
T’wing gagawin ninyo ito, gunitain ako
at ang buhay na sa bawat tao’y kaloob ko.
L’walhati sa Diyos sa katawang handog sa ‘nyo.
L’walhati sa D’yos sa bagong tipan sa ‘king dugo.
Sa pagtanggap n’yo sa akin ipahayag ninyo
aking kamatayan hanggang sa pagparito ko.
