The mystery of a meal

Body and Blood of Christ – B

We spend a lot of time explaining the Eucharist so that those who come to Communion understand what they are receiving. Sacramental law requires that one must have “sufficient knowledge and careful preparation so that they understand the mystery of Christ according to their capacity…” (Code of Canon Law 913 §3).

Yet I wonder if today’s narrative of the Last Supper from Mark’s Gospel might invite us to refrain from explaining the sacrament so much and instead enter the mystery of salvation into which Christ invites us all to participate.

Notice, Mark’s Gospel is slightly different from Matthew’s account of the supper (and in what is implied in Luke’s and Paul’s narratives). In Matthew, Jesus gives the meaning of the cup as the disciples drink from it. But in Mark’s version we hear today, Jesus has the disciples drink first before he explains its meaning.

Does this mean we shouldn’t provide sufficient catechesis on the Eucharist? Of course not. But it does remind us that the Eucharist is not a reward for passing a test. It is first and foremost a relationship with Christ, the meaning of which deepens with every encounter. The bread we break is a participation in that relationship. And the cup we share is how we make a return to the Lord for all the good God has done for us.

This post was first published in “GIA Quarterly: A Liturgical Music Journal.”

Image credit: Photo by Sylvain Brison on Unsplash.

Read more reflections on the Sunday readings here:

• Restraint and Generosity
• Going Further
• Can we be salt and light?
• Who is advocating for those in need?
• Bonded to Christ’s Mission