Deacon Tom Anthony

The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ
Lectionary: 168

Reading 1 Ex 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."

Responsorial Psalm Ps 116:12-13, 15-16, 17-18

R. (13) I will take the cup of salvation, and call on the name of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
How shall I make a return to the LORD
for all the good he has done for me?
The cup of salvation I will take up,
and I will call upon the name of the LORD.
R. I will take the cup of salvation, and call on the name of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Precious in the eyes of the LORD
is the death of his faithful ones.
I am your servant, the son of your handmaid;
you have loosed my bonds.
R. I will take the cup of salvation, and call on the name of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.
To you will I offer sacrifice of thanksgiving,
and I will call upon the name of the LORD.
My vows to the LORD I will pay
in the presence of all his people.
R. I will take the cup of salvation, and call on the name of the Lord.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Reading 2 Heb 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.

 

Sequence

Lauda Sion

Laud, O Zion, your salvation,
Laud with hymns of exultation,
Christ, your king and shepherd true:

Bring him all the praise you know,
He is more than you bestow.
Never can you reach his due.

Special theme for glad thanksgiving
Is the quick’ning and the living
Bread today before you set:

From his hands of old partaken,
As we know, by faith unshaken,
Where the Twelve at supper met.

Full and clear ring out your chanting,
Joy nor sweetest grace be wanting,
From your heart let praises burst:

For today the feast is holden,
When the institution olden
Of that supper was rehearsed.

Here the new law’s new oblation,
By the new king’s revelation,
Ends the form of ancient rite:

Now the new the old effaces,
Truth away the shadow chases,
Light dispels the gloom of night.

What he did at supper seated,
Christ ordained to be repeated,
His memorial ne’er to cease:

And his rule for guidance taking,
Bread and wine we hallow, making
Thus our sacrifice of peace.

This the truth each Christian learns,
Bread into his flesh he turns,
To his precious blood the wine:

Sight has fail’d, nor thought conceives,
But a dauntless faith believes,
Resting on a pow’r divine.

Here beneath these signs are hidden
Priceless things to sense forbidden;
Signs, not things are all we see:

Blood is poured and flesh is broken,
Yet in either wondrous token
Christ entire we know to be.

Whoso of this food partakes,
Does not rend the Lord nor breaks;
Christ is whole to all that taste:

Thousands are, as one, receivers,
One, as thousands of believers,
Eats of him who cannot waste.

Bad and good the feast are sharing,
Of what divers dooms preparing,
Endless death, or endless life.

Life to these, to those damnation,
See how like participation
Is with unlike issues rife.

When the sacrament is broken,
Doubt not, but believe ‘tis spoken,
That each sever’d outward token
doth the very whole contain.

Nought the precious gift divides,
Breaking but the sign betides
Jesus still the same abides,
still unbroken does remain.

 

Alleluia Jn 6:51

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
I am the living bread that came down from heaven,
says the Lord;
whoever eats this bread will live forever.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Mk 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.

My Brothers and Sisters,

 Before Jesus suffered and died for us, He gave us all a most precious gift that would insure that He was with us always mentally, physically, and spiritually until he comes again in all of His glory. One of His last instructions was for all of us to receive His Body and Blood which is present in the Eucharist. From that moment on, for over 2000 years, we as Christians celebrate together with Jesus the receiving of Him into ourselves. It is through this act that we profess our love for Him and gain the spiritual food which strengthens us; enabling us to confront the challenges and obstacles we encounter throughout our lives. It is a special grace that was instituted and distributed through The Holy Mother Church through the guidance of the Apostles. The importance of it cannot be overstated. The consecration of the Eucharist is at the center of our worship, our faith, our lives, and all of creation. The way that we gather in community to worship remains the same because it is the way that Jesus wanted us to experience Him and live with Him. The Holy Mass gives us all the opportunity to gather together as a family and experience Jesus Christ together.

At the center of a Christian Life must be the community and a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. The community offers support, strength, and an opportunity to express ourselves in a setting that displays no judgment and criticism. We become one body and one mind in Jesus through living in a commune with one another. It becomes our security; shielding us from the outside world while keeping us transfixed in the moment. Here, the Love of God is manifested and shared. As Jesus said, “Where two or three are gathered in my name I am in your midst.” There are no outside influences or temptations. There is just us and Jesus Christ.

Just as there are specific times where we come together to share our common love of Jesus Christ, there are times when we are encouraged to withdraw and be alone with Jesus Christ. Nurtured by the Word and nurtured by the Eucharist, we are then sent forth back into world bearing the Light of Christ which illuminates from us constantly. It is at this time the importance of the Eucharist and the Community Gathering take on a whole new meaning for we have now left the comfort and security of our Christian Family. It is just us and Jesus Christ. We are walking with Him and experiencing the Creation of God with Him at our side. Prayer and the receiving of the Eucharist give us strength to confront the challenges that are before us and the troubles that we may encounter. But what troubles are there really when we are with Jesus and recognize that our lover is here   at all times? The light of His presence always overcomes the darkness and brings joy even in times of calamity.

Jesus Christ brought forth a New Covenant established through His death and the shedding of His own blood. We are sharers in this as participants. We eat His body and drink His blood in celebration of this and all that it offers. We are eternally bound to Jesus and become one with Him in a perpetual way. Nothing can break what has joined us to Him except for us. Voluntarily we enter it and voluntary we can leave. But why would we want to leave if we have everything to gain by remaining in it?  Jesus Christ is here for us. His Church is here for us. All of creation is here for us. Why would we even consider rejecting everything that was so tenderly prepared for us to enjoy and experience. To be joyful we just need to understand what we have already been given freely out of love.

Deacon Tom