Texts taken from the Missalette “On Your Word” May-June 2024

Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (Solemnity) (B)
Proper

FIRST READING

From the Book of Exodus (Ex 24:3-8)
In those days, Moses went and reported to the people all the words of the Lord and all the ordinances. All the people answered with one voice, saying: “All the commandments that the Lord has given, we will carry out!” Moses wrote down all the words of the Lord. He rose early in the morning and built an altar at the foot of the mountain, with twelve pillars for the twelve tribes of Israel. He commissioned some young men among the Israelites to offer burnt offerings and sacrifice young bulls as communion offerings to the Lord. Moses took half of the blood and put it in bowls, and the other half he splashed on the altar. Then he took the book of the covenant and read it aloud in the hearing of the people. They said: “All that the Lord has said, we will do, and we will heed.” Moses took the blood and splashed 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!” – The word of the Lord. 

Commentary on the First Reading

The connection between the “ten words” and the covenant appears even more clearly in this passage from the Book of Exodus, which contains the account of the conclusion of the covenant. First a sacrificial rite is celebrated, followed by a communion banquet, which unites Yahweh with the people and establishes between them a relationship of kinship, as members of the same family. All the people answer with one voice, saying: “All the commandments that the Lord has given, we will carry out!” Before the sprinkling of the people, an important rite takes place: Moses takes the book of the covenant and reads it to the people. The covenant will truly remain concluded “in accordance with all these words!” After Israel has officially accepted the covenant and listened to the reading of the Decalogue, Moses sprinkles the blood on the people and declares the covenant established. The Decalogue clearly appears as the official document of the covenant, its fundamental expression, the pledge and sign of Israel’s election. In fact, in the Book of Exodus the Decalogue is also called the “words of the covenant,” the “clauses of the covenant,” the “ten words,” and, even more, the “book of the covenant.”

SECOND READING

From the Letter to the Hebrews (Heb 9:11-15)
Brothers and sisters, Christ came as high priest of the good things that have come, through a greater and more perfect tent, not made by human 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 by virtue of his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption. For if the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkled on those who are defiled, sanctify them for the purification of the flesh, how much more will the blood of Christ – who, through the eternal Spirit, offered himself unblemished to God – cleanse our consciences from dead works so that we may serve the living God? For this reason he is mediator of a new covenant, because, since his death has taken place for the redemption of the transgressions committed under the first covenant, those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance. – The word of the Lord.

Commentary on the Second Reading

When the ancient prophets announced the new covenant, they did not explain in what form it would be established or what its founding act would be. The author of the Letter to the Hebrews, however, proclaims this to us with complete clarity in the central sentence of the entire letter: “Christ came as high priest of the good things that have come, through a greater and more perfect tent, not made by human 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 by virtue of his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption.” Jesus thus enters the true sanctuary of intimacy with God and opens the way to it for us, offering us full communion with the Father and thereby establishing the definitive covenant. By what means? “By virtue of his own blood,” that is, through his death on the cross transformed into an offering. Jesus offers himself to the Father for us and makes his life a means of perfect union with God and communion among us. He obtained eternal redemption for “many,” that is, liberation from sins, which is the fundamental condition for the establishment of the new covenant.

GOSPEL OF THE DAY

From the Gospel according to Mark (Mk 14:12-16, 22-26)
On the first day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb was sacrificed, the disciples said to Jesus: “Where do you want us to go and prepare for you to eat the Passover?” Then 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. 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?’ He will show you a large upper room furnished and ready. Make the preparations for us there.” The disciples went off and, upon entering the city, found things just as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover. While they were eating, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, saying: “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.” After singing a hymn, they went out toward the Mount of Olives.- The Gospel of the Lord.

Commentary on the Gospel of the Day

The upper room is “the large room” where the hour of the deepest union with God begins. It is a place that is “ready” and at the same time must be prepared. What does it mean to prepare the upper room? There is an external and an internal preparation. Christian life cannot be improvised: “He will show you a large upper room furnished and ready. Make the preparations for us there.” We must therefore ask ourselves: how far along am I in discipleship? Am I still a student at Jesus’ school, or am I already satiated with his lessons in love? The disciple knows that he is not abandoned to himself. He is not alone; he does not live alone. He has accepted placing his life in safe hands. He knows that his life is guided by his Master, in whom he has complete trust. The disciple is like a blind person who sees through the eyes of his Master; he is like a mute person who speaks with the tongue of his Master. Is this truly the case for us? In the gift of the Eucharist, Jesus gives himself in advance; he tells us with what animus, for what purpose, and for whom he will go to the Passion and death. Jesus goes up onto the cross for humanity. He unites us to himself by virtue of his given body and shed blood. There can be no closer covenant, one that can identify us more fully with God, than this.