Daily Readings - Sun Jun 06 2021

³And Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD, and all the judgments: and all the people answered with one voice, and said, All the words which the LORD hath said will we do.⁴And Moses wrote all the words of the LORD, and rose up early in the morning, and builded an altar under the hill, and twelve pillars, according to the twelve tribes of Israel.⁵And he sent young men of the children of Israel, which offered burnt offerings, and sacrificed peace offerings of oxen unto the LORD.⁶And Moses took half of the blood, and put it in basons; and half of the blood he sprinkled on the altar.⁷And he took the book of the covenant, and read in the audience of the people: and they said, All that the LORD hath said will we do, and be obedient.⁸And Moses took the blood, and sprinkled it on the people, and said, Behold the blood of the covenant, which the LORD hath made with you concerning all these words.

Hebrews

Chapter 9

¹¹But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;¹²Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.¹³For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:¹⁴How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?¹⁵And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.

Mark

Chapter 14

¹²And the first day of unleavened bread, when they killed the passover, his disciples said unto him, Where wilt thou that we go and prepare that thou mayest eat the passover?¹³And he sendeth forth two of his disciples, and saith unto them, Go ye into the city, and there shall meet you a man bearing a pitcher of water: follow him.¹⁴And wheresoever he shall go in, say ye to the goodman of the house, The Master saith, Where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples?¹⁵And he will shew you a large upper room furnished and prepared: there make ready for us.¹⁶And his disciples went forth, and came into the city, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover.²²And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it, and gave to them, and said, Take, eat: this is my body.²³And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them: and they all drank of it.²⁴And he said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many.²⁵Verily I say unto you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God.²⁶And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.

Sermon

In today’s readings, we journey through the sacred moments of covenant-making and renewal, as God binds Himself to His people in profound ways. The First Reading from Exodus recounts the establishment of the Old Covenant, where Moses sprinkles the blood of sacrifice on the people, sealing their commitment to follow God’s laws. This act is a powerful symbol of purification and dedication, as the Israelites affirm their willingness to obey the Lord. The Second Reading from Hebrews elevates our understanding, contrasting the blood of goats and calves with the perfect sacrifice of Christ. His blood, offered once for all, cleanses our consciences and establishes a new and eternal covenant. In the Gospel, Mark vividly portrays the institution of the Eucharist, where Jesus takes bread and wine, transforming them into His body and blood. This sacred meal is the fulfillment of the old covenant, as Jesus declares, “This is my blood of the new covenant, which will be shed for many.” These readings are deeply interconnected, revealing a beautiful progression of God’s plan of salvation. The blood of animals in Exodus prefigures the blood of Christ, the perfect Lamb of God. While the Old Covenant was sealed with the blood of sacrifices, the New Covenant is sealed with the blood of the Son of God, who offers Himself as the ultimate sacrifice. Jesus’ words at the Last Supper, “This is my body… this is my blood,” draw us into the heart of this mystery. The Eucharist becomes the source and summit of our Christian life, where we participate in the sacrifice of Christ and are united to Him in a bond of love and gratitude. As we reflect on these readings, let us consider how we live out the new covenant in our daily lives. Just as the Israelites were called to obey God’s laws, we are called to live as disciples of Christ, shaped by His teachings and transformed by His grace. The Eucharist is not just a ritual; it is a call to conversion and to a life of love. May we approach the altar with reverence and gratitude, recognizing the immense gift of Christ’s body and blood. Let us strive to live in a way that honors this sacred covenant, offering our lives as a sacrifice of praise to the God who has loved us so deeply.