Introductory Prayer: Lord Jesus, I consecrate to you these brief moments of prayer. Even as I begin them, I am reminded of that night when you made sure that everything was prepared for the Last Supper, the institution of the Eucharist. There is no reason for me to think that you have any less interest in my encounter with you now since your earnest desire is to come to souls, my soul in particular.  In order to come to my soul you conquered sin with your own bloody sacrifice. May I, through my sacrifice, make my soul a place where you can dwell. Amen.

 

Petition: Lord, help me to understand that it is in being taken by others, laying my life down for them, that I can take you to myself and you can fill me only with you and with your interests.

 

Gospel: Mk 14:12-16, 22-26

 

On the first day of Unleavened Bread when the Passover lamb was 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 you will meet a man carrying a pitcher of water. Follow him, and say to the owner of the house which he enters, 'The Master says: Where is my dining room in which I can eat the passover with my disciples?' He will show you a large upper room furnished with couches, all prepared. Make the preparations for us there." The disciples set out and went to the city and found everything as he had told them, and prepared the Passover. And as they were eating he took some bread, and when he had said the blessing he broke it and gave it to them. "Take it, he said this is my body." Then he took a cup, and when he had returned thanks he gave it to them, and all drank from it, and he said to them, "This is my blood, the blood of the covenant, which is to be poured out for many. I tell you solemnly, I shall not drink any more wine until the day I drink the new wine in the Kingdom."

  

1.   All Is Ready.

 

A man with a water jar, a homeowner busy about preparations, an upper room already furnished with couches - coincidences? Unlikely.  Jesus Christ carefully arranged everything for this Last Supper. The fullness of love was caught up in planning the expressions of that love. Jesus Christ had something up his sleeve, as the expression goes. The disciples found everything as he had told them. How could they not show him a grateful love when he arrived for the Passover supper! Lord Jesus, you have prepared everything in my life with your heart so full of love for me. There is no detail that you have left out - you have looked after everything. Teach me to see your providential hand in my life and to love you in and for each and every detail of your plan over me. I know, Lord, that this is not simply a lesson but one that you want me to put into practice. When was the last time I looked after others needs with this sort of detail and love? When was the last time I was ready to lay down my life for my friends, for those that you have entrusted to me personally? I have so much to learn still, Lord. Walk me through this detailed love for others so that I may learn to love through my own sacrifice following your example.

 

2.   Christ the Pelican.

 

The pelican wounds itself to draw blood in order to feed its young. That is why the Church sometimes depicts Christ in this form. As Fr. Maciel so beautifully writes,

I love you, Lord, for your Eucharist - this great gift of yourself - for when you had nothing left to give, you left us your own body, to love us to the end in an overwhelming show of love that makes our hearts tremble with love, gratitude, and respect. (Psalm of Love for the Eucharist)

Jesus Christ knows no end to his self-giving. Even as we offend him so frequently he loves us. The very blood that we cost Christ with our unbelievably selfish actions, he takes and returns to us as a gift in the Eucharist to heal and nourish us. As the song says, "What wondrous love is this!" Is it possible that any one of us can receive this blood in a cold and indifferent manner without being moved to imitate this love? Is it possible that any one of us could stiff-arm the effects of this sacrament in our soul?  Is it possible that any one of us could witness this bleeding Jesus entering into our souls and not learn from his example?

 

3.   "Take!"

 

"Take this, all of you." These words of Christ should become our own. Take! To the Lord we should say, "Take my life, all I have and possess, all my liberty, my understanding, my entire will."  To others we should say, "Take my time, my talents, my strengths, my gifts, all that I have and possess." This is Christian life.  This is love. And we are called to love.

 

Conversation with Christ: Lord Jesus, I honestly want to prefer you to anything and anyone else in this world. But I need you to draw me to yourself. I need you from the cross to look at me with love and I will look back into your eyes also with love. I do not want to walk away sad, uncured. Strengthen my weak will so that I will never more prefer any darkness to your marvelous light.

 

Questionnaire: This optional questionnaire is intended to help you to examine your life, in the light of the inspirations God just gave you in these moments you shared with him. 

 

1. When was the last time I made the invitation of Christ to take my life? Have I ever given him this opportunity? Have I given him external things as long as I can protect that which is most intimately mine? Why?

 

2. What do I do to increase my faith in the fact that giving myself to Christ and his plan over my life is the one thing that will give me the greatest freedom, the most lasting peace, the most profound happiness? How often do I ask Christ to remind and convince me of this?

 

3. How can I effectively learn from the Eucharistic sacrifice to give of myself? Is my dialogue with the Eucharistic Christ one that takes this into consideration? How do I express my interest in learning from him when I speak with him?