A Sacrifice Offered to God Every Day: The Body and Blood of Jesus in the Consecrated Bread

In today's first reading, Daniel 3: 25, 34-43,  the Israelites say to the Lord that they "are reduced ...beyond any other nation, brought low everywhere in the world this day because of [their] sins." And that they "have in [their] day no prince, prophet, or leader, no burnt offering, sacrifice, oblation, or incense, no place to offer first fruits, to find favor with you. But with contrite heart and humble spirit let us be received," Israel prays, "as though it were burnt offerings of rams and bullocks, or thousands of fat lambs, so let our sacrifice be in your presence today, as we follow you unreservedly; for those who trust in you cannot be put to shame." 

What was true then in terms of being brought low everywhere in the world because of our sins is true today. Fortunately, today we do have a sacrifice to offer to the Lord in atonement for our sins and that is Jesus' sacrifice on the cross, which is offered at every Catholic Mass in response to Jesus' request: "Do this in memory of me," as we hold up the consecrated Host, the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ!

All the way back to the apostles, priests today are consecrated to the Lord and, by virtue of their ordination to the Catholic priesthood, continue doing what Jesus asks the first apostles to do at the Last Supper, the first Eucharist, when Jesus offered bread and wine to them and said: "Take and eat; this is my body which will be offered up for you" and "take and drink; this is the cup of my blood poured out for you. Do this in memory of me."

Thank you, Lord, for giving me this faith and sustaining me in the faith handed down to me from my parents and grandparents.  Thank you, Lord, for feeding me with this Bread of Life and Blood of the New Covenant at every Mass, transforming me into Christ, that, purified and strengthened by this heavenly food,  I can, in turn, be Christ to those I serve throughout the day.

Our Blessing Cup: The Communion with the Blood of Christ

In today's first reading, Exodus 12: 1-8, 11-14, the Israelites, God's chosen people, celebrate the feast of Passover.  God instructs each family through Moses to "procure  for  itself a lamb,...The lamb must be a year-old male and without blemish...[W]ith the whole assembly of Israel present, it shall be slaughtered during the evening twilight.  They shall take some of its blood and apply it to the two doorposts and the lintel of every house in which they partake of the lamb...[T]he blood will make the houses where you are. Seeing the blood, I will pass over you; thus, when I strike the land of Egypt, no destructive blow will come upon you."

"Our blessing-cup is a communion with the Blood of Christ, the unblemished male, the Lamb of God, through whom we are saved. "[N]o destructive blow will come upon" us who "eat of this bread" and "drink of this wine." Just as the Israelites celebrate the Passover as "a memorial feast...,which all...[of their]generations...celebrate with pilgrimage to the Lord, as a perpetual institution," so, too, do we Christians "offer [a] sacrifice of thanksgiving [the Sacrifice of the Mass] and "call upon the name of the Lord" in every Eucharistic celebration until the end of time.

The Covenant of the Old Testament is given to the people by Moses. The Covenant of the New Testament is given to us through Christ Jesus.

Just as Yahweh would lose none of His chosen people to their slave owners, neither will Jesus lose anyone of us to Satan, who prowls about the world seeking someone to devour! O, the greatness and the goodness and the mercy and the love of our God, revealed to us in Christ Jesus, whose blood was poured out for us on the cross!