A reading of the holy Gospel according to 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.
REFLECTION
This is the feast of The Body and Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ or Corpus Christi.
Stop for a while and meditate on this concept. We declare that the consecrated host is the real Body of Jesus and the consecrated wine is the real Blood of Jesus.
In reading the Bible, one can see how Jesus brings the old into the New. In the covenant with Moses and the Israelites—He would protect them with blessings and they were to obey His commandments. With the new covenant He made with us when He died on the Cross—He promised to redeem us, save us and make us children of God leaving us the Holy Spirit who would place His Law in our hearts. We again were asked to keep His commandments.
The belief that during Mass, the bread and wine used for Communion become the body and blood of Jesus Christ is central to the Catholic faith. This is known as transubstantiation. But a Pew Research Center survey showed in 2019 that most Catholics don’t believe in this core teaching. Sixty nine percent believe they are symbols of the body and blood of Jesus. Only 31% believe that during the consecration, the bread and wine used actually become the body and blood of Jesus.
Has the majority been wrongly catechized? Do our teachers believe this as well? We might forget what we read in the Bible, we might forget a homily, or we might forget what was taught during Bible study or in class. But can we forget, if we were properly taught, that during Mass the earthly gifts are changed to the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ through a miracle by the Holy Spirit. We are actually given Food by Jesus to be nourished and fed with all His Love. The Lord’s Passover is made present once again to us. The Death and Resurrection of Jesus are set before us.
The Eucharist should be the center of the lives of the priests. They need to believe that Jesus is present so they can teach us the importance of Mass and the Eucharist with its many blessings. This new covenant of Jesus with us can never be forgotten.
PAPA was established to set the priests on fire for Jesus and His Church, the Body and Bride of Jesus. The focus of the spiritual lives of the priests should be centered on the Eucharist. That love for the Eucharist then is shown and taught to us. Please join in praying the PAPA PRAYER FOR PRIESTS.
God Bless You
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