"Take It"

 

 

 

 

Mark 14:12-16

The Last Supper

¹² On the first day of the Festival of Unleavened Bread, when it was customary to sacrifice the Passover lamb, Jesus’ disciples asked him, “Where do you want us to go and make preparations for you to eat the Passover?”

¹³ So he sent two of his disciples, telling them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him. ¹⁴ Say to the owner of the house he enters, ‘The Teacher asks: Where is my guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ ¹⁵ He will show you a large room upstairs, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there.”

¹⁶ The disciples left, went into the city and found things just as Jesus had told them. So they prepared the Passover.

²² While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take it; this is my body.”

²³ Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and they all drank from it.

²⁴ “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many,” he said to them. ²⁵ “Truly I tell you, I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”

²⁶ When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

 

Our Gospel takes us back to Holy Week and the institution of the Eucharist, which makes the Body and Blood of Jesus present under the appearances of bread and wine.  In his great love for us and knowing that we would constantly be in need of his Presence among us as strength and nourishment for life's journey so filled with challenges and obstacles, he remains with us as the Bread of Life, this Holy Bread, this life-giving Bread.  Because of the penitential nature of Lent, we cannot adequately celebrate our joy over this great gift; hence this Solemnity, which allows for a fitting expression of gratitude and celebration via music and processions. May we enter fully into this day with gratitude and delight.

      For Marists, this is also the celebration of the Memorial of St. Marcellin Champagnat, the Founder of the Marist Brothers who died on this day in 1840,  The Marist World will mark this day with gratitude for the life and vision of St. Marcellin and for the expansion of that vision to include Lay Marists, many of whom will be making their commitment to live the Marist charism alongside the Brothers.  This is truly a day to rejoice and give thanks.

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Bro. Rene