The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ
3 June 2018
| Second reading Hebrews 9:11-15 |
|---|
But when Christ came as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation), he entered once for all into the Holy Place, not with the blood of goats and calves, but with his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption.
Now if the blood of goats and bulls, with the sprinkling of the ashes of a heifer, sanctifies those who have been defiled so that their flesh is purified, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to worship the living God! For this reason he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, because a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions under the first covenant.
Now if the blood of goats and bulls, with the sprinkling of the ashes of a heifer, sanctifies those who have been defiled so that their flesh is purified, how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to worship the living God! For this reason he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, because a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions under the first covenant.
On the first day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb is sacrificed, his disciples said to him, “Where do you want us to go and make the preparations for you to eat the Passover?” So he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you; follow him, and wherever he enters, say to the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher asks, Where is my guest room where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ He will show you a large room upstairs, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there.” So the disciples set out and went to the city, and found everything as he had told them; and they prepared the Passover meal.
While they were eating, he took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it he broke it, gave it to them, and said, “Take; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them, and all of them drank from it. He said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. Truly I tell you, I will never again drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.” When they had sung the hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
While they were eating, he took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it he broke it, gave it to them, and said, “Take; this is my body.” Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them, and all of them drank from it. He said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. Truly I tell you, I will never again drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.” When they had sung the hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
By Bernard M. Borja
I have always admired people who are able to anticipate things and already did something even before things happen. What is more captivating is that they already planned what they are going to do from the beginning, and things will turn out the way they wanted it to be.
A business person calculates the risk of a certain business before he starts one to help in minimizing loss and increase profit. A teacher prepares a lesson plan to help the students to stay on track during the semester. A doctor anticipates a patient’s sickness by giving medications or a health plan to prevent it. An athlete has a training plan, guided by a coach, to ensure that everything the athlete will do and achieve will be a success. Though the process during the execution of a plan is not perfect, a person who wants to achieve a certain result is determined to do everything he or she can.
I remember when my father talks about how he, with my mother, prepared for our education to ensure us a brighter future ahead. During the early years in his job, he invested in insurances and educational plans. However, the companies of these insurances went bankrupt, resulting in termination of the educational plans that my father had for us before we were able to use it. He lost a lot of invested money. In spite of what happened, my father still worked hard to recover financially and save for us to be able to study in schools we wanted to. The plan to finance our studies was not perfect in carrying it out. But my father did everything he can to still achieve the quality education that he wanted for us.
If we really think about it, we are all capable of planning and anticipating things for us to be less susceptible to situations where we do not want to get into. And it is such a wonderful feeling to be the receiver of something good that has been planned out carefully from the beginning.
God did it first, for all of us. From the time of creation, He carefully and wonderfully planned and made everything. He created us because He is love, and He wants us to be with Him in paradise. Although Adam and Eve, our first parents, fell into sin, God carefully prepared the journey of their descendants into salvation which will bring us back to Him in paradise.
From the time He made a covenant with Abraham through sacrifice, to the deliverance of the people of Israel from Egypt, and all the way to the coming of His Beloved Son, God made it a marvelous plan and executed it wonderfully when Jesus Christ offered Himself through His body and blood.
God always reminds us that He is way ahead of us. The disciples themselves constantly experienced this especially when Jesus told them where to go to prepare the Passover meal.
Jesus even had someone in charge to meet the disciples on their way. This is also a wonderful reminder for us to be grateful everyday. Because God continues to be with us in every moment and continues to offer Himself every time we fall. The love that He continues to pour unto us is one reason enough for us to be assured that we will all be with Him in paradise.
Prayer
I have always admired people who are able to anticipate things and already did something even before things happen. What is more captivating is that they already planned what they are going to do from the beginning, and things will turn out the way they wanted it to be.
A business person calculates the risk of a certain business before he starts one to help in minimizing loss and increase profit. A teacher prepares a lesson plan to help the students to stay on track during the semester. A doctor anticipates a patient’s sickness by giving medications or a health plan to prevent it. An athlete has a training plan, guided by a coach, to ensure that everything the athlete will do and achieve will be a success. Though the process during the execution of a plan is not perfect, a person who wants to achieve a certain result is determined to do everything he or she can.
I remember when my father talks about how he, with my mother, prepared for our education to ensure us a brighter future ahead. During the early years in his job, he invested in insurances and educational plans. However, the companies of these insurances went bankrupt, resulting in termination of the educational plans that my father had for us before we were able to use it. He lost a lot of invested money. In spite of what happened, my father still worked hard to recover financially and save for us to be able to study in schools we wanted to. The plan to finance our studies was not perfect in carrying it out. But my father did everything he can to still achieve the quality education that he wanted for us.
If we really think about it, we are all capable of planning and anticipating things for us to be less susceptible to situations where we do not want to get into. And it is such a wonderful feeling to be the receiver of something good that has been planned out carefully from the beginning.
God did it first, for all of us. From the time of creation, He carefully and wonderfully planned and made everything. He created us because He is love, and He wants us to be with Him in paradise. Although Adam and Eve, our first parents, fell into sin, God carefully prepared the journey of their descendants into salvation which will bring us back to Him in paradise.
From the time He made a covenant with Abraham through sacrifice, to the deliverance of the people of Israel from Egypt, and all the way to the coming of His Beloved Son, God made it a marvelous plan and executed it wonderfully when Jesus Christ offered Himself through His body and blood.
God always reminds us that He is way ahead of us. The disciples themselves constantly experienced this especially when Jesus told them where to go to prepare the Passover meal.
Jesus even had someone in charge to meet the disciples on their way. This is also a wonderful reminder for us to be grateful everyday. Because God continues to be with us in every moment and continues to offer Himself every time we fall. The love that He continues to pour unto us is one reason enough for us to be assured that we will all be with Him in paradise.
Prayer
Dear Father,
We thank You for wonderfully creating and laying down everything we need in our journey to be with You always. We are eternally grateful for being the receiver of the love from a great sacrifice. May we all be reminded always that You are with us in every step, and that the blessings You have for us is already prepared, because You are always way ahead of us. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
We thank You for wonderfully creating and laying down everything we need in our journey to be with You always. We are eternally grateful for being the receiver of the love from a great sacrifice. May we all be reminded always that You are with us in every step, and that the blessings You have for us is already prepared, because You are always way ahead of us. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment
Tell us what you feel...