Holy Thursday Night – Jesus Institutes the Holy Eucharist
Discovering Jesus in the Holy Eucharist through the Bible, the Catechism, and the Saints
Scripture: Last Supper Verses; page 154
“Then he took the bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body, which will be given for you; do this in memory of me.’ And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which will be shed for you’”
(Luke22:19-20).
Reflection:
Have you ever noticed that the one thing missing from the Passover supper is its main dish—the lamb? In none of the Last Supper accounts is it mentioned. Instead, Jesus, the new Paschal Lamb, serves himself as bread and wine! Although the apostles were present during Jesus’ Bread of Life Discourse (John 6), most likely they did not expect him to hand them unleavened Passover bread and say, “Take and eat; this is my body.” By accepting, they agree to this new covenant.
Prayer:
Jesus, was this also your way of confirming John the Baptist’s announcement that you are the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29)? Would I have responded to you with faith in this situation? Please help me in timesthat test my faith.
Journaling Prompt:
What is Jesus saying to me here, and what do I want to say to him?
