In the liturgy this afternoon, we
celebrate 3 important events that happened during the Last Supper. First, the Institution of the Holy Eucharist, second, Institution of the Priesthood, third, Jesus gave the commandment, “Love one another as I have
loved you.”
We
have heard in the Gospel today that Jesus, knowing that His end had come, He
reiterated to His apostles how much He loved them, and have loved them to the
end. But Jesus in his great love love,
He wants that He remain with us. This is the case for anyone who loves. He wants
to be with their beloved for all time. And Jesus had that. He loved—which was
not only human love , but divine!
God
Himself said that He will be with us as he spoke through the prophet Isaiah, “The virgin is with a child and bears a
son and calls his name Immanuel which means God with us. (Is.7:14) Before Jesus went up to Heaven, he said to
his disciples, "I am with you always until the end of time!” (Mt.28:20) Perhaps you are wondering what will He do in order that He will remain
with us? Jesus used His power. During
the last supper he had with his Apostles, Jesus took bread, then he said,”This
is my Body which will be given up for you: Then he took the wine and said,”
This is my blood which will be shed for you.”( (Mt.26:26-27)
What
really happened during that event? The bread became the Body of Christ and the
wine became the Blood of Christ. This is what we call “Sacramental Presence of Christ.” Meaning to
say, Jesus is present under the appearances of bread and wine. Jesus who is our Lord and God is present truly; substantially – Body and
Soul! This is the Sacrament of the Holy
Eucharist. And this is what Jesus gives us, as food for our souls. He said, when he offered the Bread, “Take this, eat it; and when he offered the the cup of wine,he said, "take this, drink from it!”
He even said when he was promising this Blessed
Sacrament—the Holy Eucharist, "I am the Bread of Life,(Jn.6:48)…“ My
flesh is really food, and my blood is
drink. Those who eat my flesh and
drink my blood,live in me and I in them”.
(Jn.6:55-56) Think of this effect
of the Body of Christ which we receive during the Holy Communion: that even if
we are sinful and God who is holy ,we
become one with God. We enter
into a union—a Holy union with Him!