"This is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed for many" Mark 14:12-16.22-26.

The Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ - Solemnity - Year B

Book of Exodus 24:3-8. 
When Moses came to the people and related all the words and ordinances of the LORD, they all answered with one voice, "We will do everything that the LORD has told us."
Moses then wrote down all the words of the LORD and, rising early the next day, he erected at the foot of the mountain an altar and twelve pillars for the twelve tribes of Israel.
Then, having sent certain young men of the Israelites to offer holocausts and sacrifice young bulls as peace offerings to the LORD,
Moses took half of the blood and put it in large bowls; the other half he splashed on the altar.
Taking the book of the covenant, he read it aloud to the people, who answered, "All that the LORD has said, we will heed and do."
Then he took the blood and sprinkled it on the people, saying, "This is the blood of the covenant which the LORD has made with you in accordance with all these words of his."



Psalms 116(115):12-13.15-16.17-18. 
How shall I make a return to the LORD
for all the good he has done for me?
The cup of salvation I will take up,
and I will call upon the name of the LORD.

Precious in the eyes of the LORD
is the death of his faithful ones.
I am your servant; the son of your handmaid;
you have loosed my bonds.

To you will I offer sacrifice of thanksgiving,
and I will call upon the name of the LORD.
My vows to the LORD I will pay
in the presence of all his people.





Letter to the Hebrews 9:11-15.
Brothers and sisters: when Christ came as high priest of the good things that have come to be, passing through the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made by hands, that is, not belonging to this creation,
he entered once for all into the sanctuary, not with the blood of goats and calves but with his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption.
For if the blood of goats and bulls and the sprinkling of a heifer's ashes can sanctify those who are defiled so that their flesh is cleansed,
how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from dead works to worship the living God.
For this reason he is mediator of a new covenant: since a death has taken place for deliverance from transgressions under the first covenant, those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance.



Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark 14:12-16.22-26. 
On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrificed the Passover lamb, Jesus' disciples said to him, "Where do you want us to go and prepare for you to eat the Passover?"
He sent two of his disciples and said to them, "Go into the city and a man will meet you, carrying a jar of water. Follow him.
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?"'
Then he will show you a large upper room furnished and ready. Make the preparations for us there."
The disciples then went off, entered the city, and found it just as he had told them; and they prepared the Passover.
While they were eating, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, and said, "Take it; this is my body."
Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, and they all drank from it.
He said to them, "This is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed for many.
Amen, I say to you, I shall not drink again the fruit of the vine until the day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God."
Then, after singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

"This is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed for many"

Today we have gazed upon our Lord Jesus Christ on the altar.
Today we have been fed with the burning coal in whose shadow sing the Cherubim (Is 6,2).
Today we have heard the sweet and powerful voice saying to us:

This body burns away the thorns of sin; it gives light to men's souls.
This body the woman with the issue of blood touched and was delivered of her infirmity.
This body, the Canaanite woman's daughter was cured at the sight of it.
This body was approached with all her heart by the sinful woman and she was rescued from the mire of her sins.
This body Thomas touched; he acknowledged it, crying aloud: “My Lord and my God”.
This body, so great and so high, is the foundation of our salvation.

In former times he who is Word and Life declared:
“This blood has been shed for you and given up for the remission of sins”.
We have drunk, my beloved, the holy and immortal blood.
We have drunk, beloved, the blood flowing from the Savior's side
that heals all ills, that frees all souls.
We have drunk the blood by which we have been redeemed.
We have been bought and we have been taught; we have been enlightened.
Behold, my brethren, what body it is that we have eaten!
Behold, my children, what blood has inebriated us!
Behold the covenant sealed with our God lest we should be ashamed on that terrible day, the day of judgement (cf. 1Cor 11,29).

Who is equal to giving glory to the mystery of grace?
We have been accounted worthy of participating in this gift.
Let us keep ourselves to the end that we may hear his blessed, sweet and holy voice:
“Come you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you” (Mt 25,34)...

Beloved, we will celebrate the wonders of Jesus' baptism (cf. Mk 10,38),
his holy and life-giving resurrection,
through which salvation has been given to the world.
All of us are awaiting its happy fulfilment,
in the grace and happiness of our Lord Jesus Christ:
to him be glory, honor and adoration.