June 12, 2009
Sunday Scripture
The body and blood of Christ
BY FATHER DONALD DILGER
The feast of Unleavened Bread was at one time an observance entirely distinct from the observance of Passover. Unleavened Bread in its origin marked the beginning of the barley harvest in the spring of the year. For the first seven days of the harvest the only bread the Israelites would eat was made from flour of the new grain. It was prepared without yeast, that is, unleavened. The symbolism was simple — a new start. Because the celebration of Passover was close in time to the feast of Unleavened Bread, the two were combined, probably about 600 B.C. Thus Mark begins today’s gospel, “On the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrificed the Passover Lamb.”
With mysterious instructions emphasizing Jesus’ foreknowledge, he sends two disciples to arrange with someone acquainted with Jesus for a place to eat the Passover with his disciples. The place chosen was a spacious second-floor room. In later times Christians referred to this room as “the Cenacle,” that is, “the Supper-place.” Two unnamed disciples of Jesus follow his instructions and prepare the Passover meal. Luke’s gospel identifies the two as Peter and John, although Luke, not himself an eyewitness of these events, may be guided by the important roles he attributes to Peter and John in the early chapters of Acts of Apostles. Since preparations for the Passover meal entailed considerable expenses for a lamb and other prescribed foods, it is not unlikely that Judas, the treasurer of the group, was sent on this errand with Pete, who was already recognized as chief.
Our gospel reading omits the next verses of Mark — the prediction of betrayal, the quest among the disciples for the perpetrator, and Jesus’ curse on the betrayer. Mark proceeds to what later came to be called, “the words of institution.” In one form or another the words of institution are part of the eucharistic prayers approved for the Mass throughout the Church with one exception approved by Pope John Paul II. The key structure of Mark’s version of the words of institution over the bread is in four words, “took, blessed, broke, gave.” The heart of the structure, “Take! This is my body!” The key words over the cup of wine are, “took, gave thanks, gave.” The heart, “This is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed for many.” Where Mark’s version seems to differ from what we usually hear in the eucharistic prayers of the Mass is due to the influence of the versions of the words of institution in Paul, Matthew and Luke.
Mark wrote in the commonly used Greek language of his day. His Greek word which we translate as “gave thanks,” eucharistesas, is the origin of our word “Eucharist.” As we celebrate and share in the Eucharist we must remember that our participation is our thanksgiving to God for the presence of Jesus and the work of salvation God accomplished through Jesus. The ritual of sacrifice used during the Mass is comparable to the Old Testament sacrifice called a “peace-offering.” A victim was sacrificed to God. Part of the sacrifice was dedicated to divine use, either by being consumed in fire at the altar, or being reserved for the priest. The rest of the victim was shared with the offerers. Eating with God and from God’s own table symbolized being at peace with God. Mark closes today’s gospel by instructing us that sharing in the Eucharist is a preparation for eternal life, when Jesus says, “I shall not drink again of the fruit of the vine until the day when I drink it anew in the kingdom of God.”
This selection from the Book of Exodus describes the sealing of the covenant between God and Israel at Sinai. Note the similarity of language between this sealing of the covenant and the words of institution in today’s gospel reading. Moses took the blood of the sacrificed victims, sprinkled it on the people, and said, “This if the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you . . . “ The sacrifices of young bulls on this occasion were “peace-offerings,” just as the Mass was described in the above commentary as a peace-offering, a sharing with God, eating at the table of the Lord. If at Sinai the eating of the flesh of young bulls was considered sharing in the food of God at God’s own table, how much more do we share in the food of God and eat at God’s own table when we obey the command of Jesus, “Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man drink his blood, you have no life in you.”
Most of the instruction in this reading has been covered by the above commentaries on the gospel and first reading. However, for instruction and defense of the faith, a note may be added about the author’s statement, “He entered once and for all into the sanctuary, not with the blood of goats and calves, but with his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption.” Heretical reformers accused the Church of blasphemy through and by the Mass, because the sacrifice of Jesus is “once and for all.” Indeed it is, and we do not offer a new sacrifice. We follow Jesus’ command, “Do this in remembrance of me.” It is not a new sacrifice. It is making present to us in a mysterious way the one and only, “once and for all” sacrifice of Jesus.