After psalms had been sung, they left for the Mount of Olives.
Mark 14:26
Begin with a few moments of quiet.
Now return to breathing normally and make the sign of the cross:
In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen
Invite each person present to take a few moments to reflect on:
Where in the past week did I encounter God in my life?
Where in the past week did I inhibit God in my life?
Allow time in quiet for this and then, after a few moments, invite those present to share on this, if they are comfortable to do so.
If you like to have some quiet music playing during this click below.
Introduce the Gospel
As we move beyond the season of Eastertide, we enter into ‘ordinary time’. In these days, as we see more and more services re-opening, we do not know what ordinary is anymore, ordinary will evolve over time. Our Gospel passages will take on a whole new meaning as we move through these ordinary days.
On this Sunday we celebrate Corpus Christi – the Body of Christ
Jesus himself practised open table fellowship, to express God’s unconditional love and acceptance. Before he died, he spoke words over the bread and wine, words which disclosed the meaning of his death and resurrection.
When St Paul wrote to the Corinthians about the Lord’s Supper, he had to remind them that the sacrament is meant to be a communion among all who celebrate it and is meant to have a practical affect in our lives. As Benedict XVI wrote:
A Eucharist which does not pass over into the concrete practice of love is essentially fragmented (God is Love).
Read the Gospel – Mark 14:12-16,22-26
Read the Gospel aloud, even if you are on your own.
On the first day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb was sacrificed, his disciples said to Jesus, ‘Where do you want us to go and make the preparations for you to eat the passover?’ So he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, ‘Go into the city and you will meet a man carrying a pitcher of water. Follow him, and say to the owner of the house which he enters, “The Master says: Where is my dining room in which I can eat the passover with my disciples?” He will show you a large upper room furnished with couches, all prepared. Make the preparations for us there.’ The disciples set out and went to the city and found everything as he had told them, and prepared the Passover.
And as they were eating he took some bread, and when he had said the blessing he broke it and gave it to them. ‘Take it,’ he said ‘this is my body.’ Then he took a cup, and when he had returned thanks he gave it to them, and all drank from it, and he said to them, ‘This is my blood, the blood of the covenant, which is to be poured out for many. I tell you solemnly, I shall not drink any more wine until the day I drink the new wine in the kingdom of God.’
After psalms had been sung they left for the Mount of Olives.
Reflect on the Gospel
Sit quietly now for a few moments and allow the images created by hearing the Gospel to emerge. Use the quietening music again if you wish
A Reflection on Eucharist by R. Voight
He was old,
tired,
and sweaty,
pushing his homemade cart down the alley,
stopping now and then to poke around in somebody’s garbage.
I wanted to tell him about EUCHARIST
But the look in his eyes,
the despair on his face,
the hopelessness of somebody else’s life in his cart,
Told me to forget it,
So I smiled, said “Hi” — and gave him EUCHARIST.
She was cute,
nice build,
a little too much paint,
Wobbly on her feet as she slid from her barstool,
and on the make.
“No, thanks, not tonight,” — and I gave her EUCHARIST.
She lived alone,
her husband dead,
her family gone,
And she talked at you,
not to you.
words,
endless words,
spewed out.
So I listened — and gave her EUCHARIST.
Downtown is nice,
Lights change from red to green,
and back again,
Flashing blues,
pinks,
and oranges.
I gulped them in Said,
“Thank you, God” and made them EUCHARIST.
I laughed at myself,
And told myself,
“You, with all your sin,
and all your selfishness,
I forgive you,
I accept you,
I love you.”
It’s nice, and so necessary to give yourself EUCHARIST.
My God, when will we ever learn —
You cannot talk EUCHARIST —
you cannot Philosophize about it.
YOU DO IT.
You don’t dogmatize EUCHARIST.
Sometimes you laugh it,
sometimes you cry it,
often you sing it.
Sometimes it’s wild peace,
then crying hurt,
often humiliating,
never deserved.
You see EUCHARIST in another’s eyes,
give it in another’s hand held tight,
Squeeze it in an embrace.
You pause EUCHARIST in the middle of a busy day,
speak it in another’s ear,
Listen to it from a person who wants to talk.
For EUCHARIST is as simple as being on time
And as profound as sympathy.
I give you my supper,
I give you my sustenance,
I give you my life,
I give you me.
I give you EUCHARIST.
Take a few moments to consider, How does this reflection change my reaction to this Gospel story?
Finish this part with a Prayer
God of welcome and compassion: we thank you the Holy Eucharist, in which we know again your love and compassion. Help us to become what we receive. Amen.
Close the time of Prayer with the Our Father
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
Take a moment now to bring to mind those you want to share peace with, family, friends, those where your relationship is broken.
Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil,
graciously grant peace in our days,
that, by the help of your mercy,
we may be always free from sin
and safe from all distress,
as we await the blessed hope
and the coming of our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen
Additional Resources
Fr. Kieran O’Mahony offers a scriptural analysis on the Readings in Written or on Video
You may also like to follow his video reflection on the readings for this weekend:
The following prayer is from the Center for Action and Contemplation community. We invite you to listen to or join with Richard Rohr in praying this prayer (see cac.org)
Loving God, you fill all things with a fullness and hope that we can never comprehend. Thank you for leading us into a time where more of reality is being unveiled for us all to see. We pray that you will take away our natural temptation for cynicism, denial, fear and despair. Help us have the courage to awaken to greater truth, greater humility, and greater care for one another. May we place our hope in what matters and what lasts, trusting in your eternal presence and love. Listen to our hearts’ longings for the healing of our suffering world. Please add your own intentions . . . Knowing, good God, you are hearing us better than we are speaking, we offer these prayers in all the holy names of God. Amen.
Breaking Open the Word in Prayer 