Today is Holy Thursday. The Triduum, the shortest season of the liturgical year, begins tonight at the Mass of the Lord's Supper.
If we focus on these last hours of Christ's life, He is preparing to celebrate the Passover with His disciples. They do not yet understand that He is creating a new Passover that will conquer sin and death.
On this night, the Lord will give us the gift of the Eucharist. In Luke, Jesus tells the disciples He has been eager to share the Passover meal with them as He joins them at the table. "Then he took the bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, saying, 'This is my body, which will be given for you; do this in memory of me.' And likewise, the cup after they had eaten, saying, 'This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which will be shed for you.'"
The Lord is longing to give Himself to His disciples. We are His disciples. He is eager to give Himself to you and me; this is what happens every time we celebrate the Eucharist. We recall this last night of Christ's life on earth and that in a few short hours, He gives up His life for us. #livinglent2