Maundy Thursday. Mark 14,12-26

Antiphon (1. Corinthians 11,26)

℣  For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup,

℟   you proclaim the Lord’s death until He returns.

Holy Gospel 

And on the first day of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrificed the Passover lamb, his disciples said to him, “Where will you have us go and prepare for you to eat the Passover?” 13 And he sent two of his disciples and said to them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him, 14 and 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?’ 15 And he will show you a large upper room furnished and ready; there prepare for us.” 16 And the disciples set out and went to the city and found it just as he had told them, and they prepared the Passover.

17 And when it was evening, he came with the twelve. 18 And as they were reclining at table and eating, Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me.” 19 They began to be sorrowful and to say to him one after another, “Is it I?” 20 He said to them, “It is one of the twelve, one who is dipping bread into the dish with me. 21 For the Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.”

22 And as they were eating, he took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to them, and said, “Take; this is my body.” 23 And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, and they all drank of it. 24 And he said to them, “This is my blood of the testament, which is poured out for everyone. 25 Truly, I say to you, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”

26 And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. (Mark 14,12-26) 

Homily 

Jesus established and instituted the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper during the Feast of Passover. He told His apostles that the bread is His body and the wine is His blood that is poured out for everyone. The sacrificial nature of this Sacrament is obvious. 

Jesus sacrificed Himself as the Lamb of God to take away the sin of the world. In this Sacrament of the Lord's Supper Jesus gives us that very body and blood for the forgiveness of our sins. The Church celebrates this Sacrament to this day, 2000 years after the fact. 

The Apostle Paul explains why we still partake of the Lord's Supper: For as often as we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim the Lord's death until He returns. The Lord's Supper was instituted in the shadow of Good Friday and the Passover. The Lord's Supper gives us what Jesus purchased on the cross: eternal life, forgiveness and everlasting salvation. We affirm and confess these blessings each time we remember our Lord and His crucifixion by celebrating the Lord's Supper. 

Antiphon 

℣ Gracious is the Lord, and righteous;
℟ our God is merciful. 

Collect of the Day

O Lord in this Wondrous Sacrament You have left us a remembrance of Your passion. Grant that we may so receive the sacred mystery of Your body and blood so that the fruits of Your redemption may continually be manifest in us; for You live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, One God, now and forever.  Amen.