Matthew 26:17-29; Mark 14:12-25; Luke 22:7-30; John 13:18-30;
John 13:1-17, 31-35;
Matthew 26:30-35; Mark 14:26-31; Luke 22:31-38; John 13:36-38
In today’s readings, Jesus employs two tremendous physical activities to build up and instruct His disciples (including us). He establishes the Sacrament of Holy Communion, feeding us with His body and blood, and He washes the disciples’ feet. With both actions, He says words that we are to take to heart:
Take, eat; this is My body.
Matthew 26:26b (cf., Mark 14:22b; Luke 22:19b)
Drink of it, all of you, for this is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
Matthew 26:27b-28 (cf., Mark 14:24; Luke 22:20b)
A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.
John 13:34-35
Yet it would seem that we are poor listeners. Large swaths of the (Protestant) Church treat Communion as mere memorialism, devoid of any notion that Christ might really be present in the bread and wine. How would things change if we all were to truly discern the Body and Blood of Christ? And what would the Church look like (or the whole world, for that matter) if we Christians were to — shock of shocks! — actually love one another as Christ has loved us?!
Hmmm. Maybe we need to again listen to Jesus and actually do what He says.
See also: