Exodus 24:3-8, Hebrews 9:11-15, Psalm 116:12-13, 15-18, Mark 14:12-16, 22-26

DAILY HOLY MASS READINGS:  Exodus 24:3-8, Hebrews 9:11-15,

                                                                   Psalm 116:12-13, 15-18, Mark 14:12-16, 22-26

Exodus 24:3-8

My Beloved, in the Old Testament we see how God made a Covenant with the people of Israel and sealed it with the blood of bullocks which were sacrificed as a peace offering.  The blood was sprinkled on the altar and on the people who promised to be obedient to His commandments.  The blood and the promise were outward signs of the eternal covenant He swore that He would be their God and they would be His people.

Hebrews 9:11-15

In the New Testament we have the once and for all time perfect sacrifice offered to the Father by You His beloved Son, in atonement for the sins of all mankind.  The blood of animals could never take away the punishment that is the result of sin.  It could not heal the soul and restore it to wholeness and holiness.  This is why the Father willed that You become a Man, to enter into our humanity, to become one like us in all things save sin, to take upon Yourself our sins and offer Your Body as a sacrifice acceptable to Him so that all sin can be washed away permanantly by Your Blood.  You are the High Priest, You are the Altar of Sacrifice and You are the Sacrifice pleasing to God.  The spotless Lamb without stain or blemish, the perfect offering by which we are saved.  We enter the Sanctuary of the Holy of Holies with You and You restore us once again to God and reunite us to Him.  Now we too can offer ourselves to God in union with You and obtain all the merits of the one, holy, perfect and acceptable Sacrifice.

Psalm 116:12-13, 15-18

At every celebration of the Holy Mass, God invities us to participate in the perfect sacrifice made on Calvary for the atonement of the sins of human kind.  Jesus, the Beloved, offered Himself becoming a Man in order to provide a Body for the Sacrifice and to pour out His Blood that cleanses, heals, purifies and restores. 

Mark 14:12-16, 22-26

My Beloved, You first instituted the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist.  You took bread and wine and You transformed them into life giving food and drink - Your Body and Your Blood.  You broke the bread in anticipation of Your Broken Body which would soon be flailed in the scourging and the Blood that poured out of Your Body would provide the cleansing and purifying that was necessary for forgiveness.

We cannot partake of the Eucharist if we are guilty of serious sin and so the sacrifice of the Lamb of God was necessary for the Lamb of God alone has the power to take away the sins of the world.  Cleansed of sin we can approach the Banquet of the Lamb,  feast at His table and eat and drink the divine food that will give us eternal life.