Day 17
Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” And He took a cup, and when He had given thanks He gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you; for this is My blood of the new covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you I shall not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.” Matthew 26:26-29 (From the Gospel of the Vesperal Liturgy on Holy Thursday)
The reflection we are given today speaks to us about the New Covenant between us and God, established by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. We have spoken earlier about all of the commandments that are listed in the Old Testament, and how Jesus Christ gave us a new commandment, one of love. In this same vein, we are given a new covenant, a sacred or solemn agreement, a covenant of love.
Jesus tells us in scripture that "Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends." (John 15:13) By willingly suffering the Cross and death, He has established a new covenant of love for His creation. The promise of this covenant is salvation and eternal life. But if we are going to be a part of this covenant, we have to participate in it. This covenant has to be alive and vibrant.
St. Paul says in his epistle to the Galatians: "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." The only way we can be as St. Paul says is to participate in this new covenant. Our participation comes in a number of ways: how we live, how we treat others, how we love God...but most notably, in receiving the Eucharist, Holy Communion.
In the scripture passage for this reflection, we see Jesus Christ establish the Eucharist of the Church, this new covenant. Every time we go to Holy Communion, we participate in this covenant. Every time we go to Holy Communion, it is no longer we who live, but it is Christ who lives in us. As Fr. Stavros says, through the Eucharist, we are able to touch the Divine God and the Divine God is able to touch us. This is why the Church offers us the Eucharist every Sunday. This is why the Church offers us the Eucharist during the weeks of Lent at the Pre-Sanctified Liturgy. When we partake of the Eucharist, we make the new covenant alive and vibrant in our lives. Fr. Stavros says that through continual partaking of the Eucharist, we strengthen our bond with Christ. And the stronger that bond is, the more we walk in His footsteps and live according to love.
It is hard to come up with better words to end this reflection than what Fr. Stavros offers us and we hear as the communion hymn in our churches on the Sundays of Lent:
O Son of God accept me today, as a communicant of Your mystical supper, for I will not speak of this mystery to Your enemies, nor like Judas will I give you a kiss, but like the penitent thief I confess to You: O Lord, remember me when You come into Your Kingdom.
In Christ
Fr. David