Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ
Take…All…Eat…Given…Drink…New…Eternal…Covenant…Shed…
Do This…Memory…Me
These are some of the key action words of Jesus that we priests have the profound honor of saying during the Consecration of every celebration of the Eucharist. I firmly believe in the Eucharist as a verb as much, if not more, than the Eucharist as a noun. It is both, but consider the words I am highlighting. Almost all are verbs and, if not technically a verb, they indicate action of some sort. I also firmly believe that the primary SACRAMENTAL energy of the Eucharist is Jesus’ intention for us to SHARE it.
As we hold up the Solemnity of the Body and Blood of Christ this weekend perhaps some deeper reflection on these words – these SACRED words – may lead to a deeper appreciation of these elements of bread becoming Body and wine becoming Blood that perpetuate the REAL presence of Christ in our midst and in the world.
Take…
As he picked up bread from the table during the Passover ritual, which was so familiar with those gathered during the Last Supper, Jesus breathed new life into the tradition of sharing bread by saying, “Take this…” It is both a command and a gift at the same time. He is instigating an action of sharing. He begins the process of giving with a powerful word: TAKE.
ALL…
According to Matthew and Mark it is implied that Judas was present at the time that Jesus said of the bread, “Take this ALL of you….” In Luke, it is very clear that Judas shared the bread and then left for his betrayal activities. I find such inclusive hope in the spirit instituting the Eucharist that Judas heard the word ALL.
Eat…
We have to EAT to survive. Sometimes we can be overwhelmed with the abundant bounty of food before us here in our part of the world, and sometimes we are made aware of the devastating hunger that exists elsewhere. The action of actually consuming consecrated bread and wine makes a very simple connection between the physical and spiritual of all life.
Given…The heart of the gift is the action of giving. The act of identifying himself with bread and wine is conveyed in the words, “…GIVEN up for you.” Jesus is not just giving us something; He is giving us himself. THIS IS THE ULTIMATE ENCOUNTER that makes the Eucharist SACRAMENTAL.
Drink…
More attention has been given to the element of bread through the centuries than to the element of wine. Many of you don’t remember when the only one to drink from the cup at Mass was the priest. We were re-reminded of that during Covid. To DRINK from the same cup seals SACRAMENTAL unity as a community.
New…
To those who heard the sacred words of institution from Jesus for the first time it must have been very thought provoking. The most important element of their tradition was that God had made a Covenant with them in the desert. There was only one Covenant and it was an old, traditional one. Jesus uses the cup of his blood to give them something NEW.
Eternal…
That one sacred Covenant that God made with the ancestors of those gathered at The Last Supper grounded their identity as chosen people. It had guided them to that point, and we as Christians believe that Jesus is the ETERNAL fulfilment of that bond between God and humanity.
Covenant…
The Covenantal statement is proclaimed several times in the Old Testament, each a variation of God saying to humanity, “I am your God and you are my people.” It is a sacred bond that I call The Divine/Human Enterprise. In other words, all of life is a collaborative effort between God and Us. There is nowhere else that the Covenant is ratified more powerfully than in the ENCOUNTER with Christ in the Eucharist.
Shed…
The day after Jesus identified himself with bread and wine with the intent of giving himself to us each time we celebrate the Eucharist, His body would be broken and crucified and his blood would be SHED for us.
The best action that we can do to respect the action of Jesus giving himself to us in the Eucharist is his own command/invitation:
DO THIS IN MEMORY OF ME.