GOSPEL COMMENTARY MK 14:12-16, 22-26
Corpus Christi
FR. JACK PETERSON, YA
The extraordinary gift of the Eucharist fits a pattern of beautifully humble acts that marked the life of Christ during His earthly sojourn. He revealed Himself first to the world as an infant, born in a lowly stable and resting in a manger. Our Savior chose to live in the modest home of a carpenter and likely practiced that simple trade as a young man. He submitted to the baptism of John and dove into the waters as a sign of diving into the fullness of our human condition. Finally, Our Lord surrendered His life to the Father and died on a wooden cross between two criminals. Today, we celebrate the profound reality that Jesus chose to offer us the supreme gift of His self under the disguise of simple bread and wine. The humility of Jesus is a marvel to ponder.
Jesus’ gift of the Eucharist is an invitation for us to respond to Him in kind with humility. We do so by accepting in faith that the bread and wine become the Body and Blood of Jesus; by coming to the table on a regular basis with our brothers and sisters in Christ to share in the meal of all meals prepared for us by our Heavenly Father; by rejoicing at the sacrifice that He made of Himself for our salvation; and by embracing our need for the spiritual nourishment that we receive at the table of His word and of His Body and Blood.
Perhaps the most appropriate response to the Eucharist is good old-fashioned wonder and awe. Every parent is most pleased when a child’s heart is filled with gratitude and an awareness of the immensity of a gift that is given out of love and with great sacrifice. We need to beg God for a deeper faith in Christ and to see with believing eyes the wonders that the Father has done in Christ Jesus. The Eucharist is one of God’s greatest works of art; it is His greatest gift of love, because it is the gift of His Son.
St. Francis of Assisi had a profound devotion to the Eucharist. He made heroic efforts to attend Mass on a daily basis. He spoke often to his friars about the precious gift that Jesus gave us on the night before He suffered and died. Francis sought and received special permission from the church to have Mass said while he and his brothers went on retreat in the mountains in preparation for their preaching adventures.
In St. Francis’ “Letter to All the Friars,” he said in reference to the Mass: “Let humanity fear, let the entire universe tremble, and the heavens exult, when on the altar, in the hands of the priest, is Christ, Son of the living God … O admirable rapture and amazing designation. O sublime humility. O humble sublimity, that the Lord of the universe, God and Son of God, so humbles Himself as to hide under the small appearance of bread.”
My brothers and sisters in Christ, let us implore the Holy Spirit to stir into flame the gifts of faith and love in Jesus so that we may truly marvel at Jesus’ gift of the Eucharist. May our humble, loving response befit the humble, loving gift that has been given.
Fr. Peterson is assistant chaplain at Marymount University in Arlington and director of the Youth Apostles Institute in McLean.
This is my body, this is my blood.
Mark 14:12-16 16:22-26
12 Now on the first day of the unleavened bread, when they sacrificed the Passover lamb, the disciples said to him: Where do you want us to go, and prepare for you to eat the Passover lamb?
13 And he sent two of his disciples, and said to them: Go to the city; and there you shall meet you a man carrying a pitcher of water, follow him;
14 And wherever he shall go in, say to the master of the house, the master says, where is my dining room, where I may eat the Passover lamb with my disciples?
15 And he will show you a large dining room furnished; and there prepare for us.
16 And his disciples went their way, and came into the city; and they found as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover lamb.
22 And while they were eating, Jesus took bread; and blessing it, he broke it, and gave to them, and said: Take it. This is my body.
23 And having taken the chalice, giving thanks, he gave it to them. And they all drank of it.
24 And he said to them: This is my blood of the new covenant, which shall be shed for many.
25 Amen I say to you, that I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day when I shall drink it new in the kingdom of God.
26 And when they had said an hymn, they went forth to the mount of Olives.
Inspiration of the Holy Spirit - From the Sacred Heart of Jesus
Nothing happens in this world unless it is allowed by the will of my Father. Many will question the divine will for all the evil that afflicts the world, but I tell you in truth, this is a product of the evil one who has been given power by those who reject God. My Father allows evils to chastise humanity for its disobedience.
You could live in a better world if you obeyed God’s commandments and loved one another as I have loved you.
I sent my apostles to prepare the upper room where I would institute the great sacrament of the Holy Eucharist. I foresaw all future events just I foresaw the future of my Church. I had the power to perform miracles and I used it, not to impress people, not to display my power but in order to fulfill the messianic promises announced by Isaiah (Is. 29:18), and to glorify my Father who sent me.
The moment came when I had to become the sacrificial lamb that takes away the sins of the world, this was going to put a stop to animal sacrifices, in fact this would be the only sacrifice that would satisfy the justice of God. This would be my last night with the disciples and by no coincidence was the Feast when they sacrificed the Passover Lamb in memory of the deliverance of Israel from the slavery of the Egyptians.
I was about to be crucified the following day, my flesh, blood, soul and divinity would be offered to my Father for the forgiveness of sins and the time had come to perpetuate this sacrifice in a sacramental form.
I had already told my disciples that I was the bread that comes down from Heaven, the heavenly manna that gives eternal life. I had told them, unless you eat of my flesh and drink of my blood, you will have no life in you.
Now, with my heavenly power I was about to perform my greatest miracle.
As the eternal High Priest in the order of Melchizedek, I took the bread, I blessed it, then I looked up to Heaven, I broke the bread and gave it to my disciples, I drew from my divine power and said: “Take and eat, this is my body”
In the same way I took the cup with wine, blessed it, and gave it to my disciples to drink, then by my divine power I said, “this is my blood, the blood of the new and everlasting covenant, that will be shed for the forgiveness of sins. Do this in memory of me.”
I designated my apostles as priests and ministers of the Holy Eucharist, anointed with the power to transmit this ministry in my Church to other priests.
By my command, I instituted the priesthood and the sacrament of immortality. I make myself truly available to you every time the bread and wine is consecrated by one of my anointed priests.
In human terms they say “you are what you eat”, I tell you solemnly, when you repent of your sins and receive me in a state of grace, then as you eat my flesh which is the bread of life and drink my blood which is the elixir of immortality, you are purified and prepared for eternal life, where you will become like me.
I am waiting for you to receive me worthily when you come to Holy Mass; I am also truly present in every tabernacle, ready to listen to your prayers and to bless you when you acknowledge me. I love you.
Author: Joseph of Jesus and Mary