While they were eating, Jesus took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it he broke it, gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; This is my body.” Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from 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 will 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
Today is Holy Thursday, a day in Lent filled with the most profound event, and amongst the darkest, saddest hours of Jesus’ time with us. Let’s focus on one of the most profound moments commemorated on this day. Jesus gifting us the awesome, incomprehensible gift of His own body and blood. Holy Communion nourishes us in our spiritual journey toward unity with Him, and one another. It is not just a remembrance, or a sharing of bread and wine. It is truly the precious body and blood of Jesus – in the form of consecrated bread and wine. In reality, our communion is more genuinely the body and blood of Christ than it is bread and wine. Today, on Holy Thursday, we are privileged to celebrate this most sacred sacrament of grace. This prayer would be helpful to pray following receiving communion on this day.
Let us pray with St. Gregory:
With our bodies so inclined to sin, how could we reach salvation,
even if we tried for ten thousand years?
But you God of all, for this reason, willingly made yourself the sacrifice,
and suffering death are shared in communion for our pardon.
You are offered in the divine mystery and distributed in indivisible parts,
by the faith of those who confess you.
For these reasons, at the Last Supper in the upper room,
at the first partaking of this grace, as the cure for incurable diseases,
he distributed his body and blood for the forgiveness of sins.
This he deemed higher than martyrs’ shedding their own blood.
God gives more weight to this sacrifice of faith,
then through other efforts to obtain pardon, mercy or grace.
Now, I pray you, compassionate Lord, grant me,
broken in heart and spirit, the salve of life from heaven on high.
Come sweetly to me, ill with sin. Pardon my debts, in your omnipotence.
You, doer of good, who created everything from nothing,
look kindly upon those who truly have believed in you,
deeming this enough for salvation.
To you with the Father and the Holy Spirit,
glory and power forever.
Amen.
Prayer 53 C, D, E
