The Catechism of the Catholic Church begins it's teaching on the Eucharist with these words. "At the Last Supper, on the night he was betrayed, our Savior instituted the Eucharistic sacrifice of his Body and Blood. This he did in order to perpetuate the sacrifice of the cross throughout the ages until he should come again, and so to entrust to his beloved Spouse, the Church, a memorial of his death and resurrection: a sacrament of love, a sign of unity, a bond of charity, a Paschal banquet 'in which Christ is consumed, the mind is filled with grace, and a pledge of future glory is given to us." #1323

We want to reflect on this great Sacrifice and Sacrament this week. From the beginning of our relationship with God, human beings have seen fit to offer some kind of sacrifice to God in recognition of who he is and what he has done for them. The Old Testament is filled with examples of this. But the most significant of all sacrifices was the annual sacrifice of the paschal lamb and the eating of the Passover meal. Of all that God did for his people, their deliverance from the bondage of slavery and their covenant with God was most significant for them. 

That deliverance was nothing in comparison with our deliverance from the bondage of sin and the establishment of the new and eternal covenant. This was accomplished at the Last Supper when Jesus instituted the new covenant and completed the sacrifice on the cross through the shedding of his blood for our deliverance from the bondage of eternal alienation from God. We make this sacrifice and meal our own to God each time we celebrate the Eucharist.