
In the institution of the Holy Eucharist Jesus is revealed as the Bread of Life that sustains us to the promised land. Fr. Mark-Mary draws upon the Old Testament to reveal how this mystery was foreshadowed, and what salvation history can tell us about Jesus and the Eucharist. Today’s focus is the mystery of the Institution of the Eucharist and we will be praying one Our Father, three Hail Marys, and one Glory Be. For the complete prayer plan, visit https://ascensionpress.com/riy.
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Foreign Mark Mary with Franciscan Friars of the Renewal and this is the Rosary in a Year podcast where through prayer and meditation, the Rosary brings us deeper into relationship with Jesus and Mary and becomes a source of grace for the whole world. The Rosary in a Year is brought to you by Ascension. This is day 38. To download the prayer plan for Rosary in a year, visit ascensionpress.comrosaryne year or text RIY to 33777. You'll get an outline of how we're going to pray each month and it's a great way to track your progress. The best place to listen to the Podcast in the Ascension app. There's special features built just for this podcast and also recordings of the full rosary with myself and other prayers. Behalf of myself and the whole team here at Ascension wanted to take this opportunity to thank everyone who's helped support this podcast financially. Your support is so appreciated and helps us to reach as many people as possible. If you haven't already, please consider supporting us at ascensionpress.com forward/support the fifth luminous mystery is the institution of the Eucharist, Luke 22:14 23 and when the hour came, he sat at table, and the apostles with him, and he said to them, I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer for I tell you, I shall not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God. And he took a chalice, and when he had given thanks, he said, take this and divide it among yourselves for I tell you that from now on I shall not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes. And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, this is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me. And likewise the chalice after supper, this chalice which is poured out for you, is the new covenant in my blood. But behold, the hand of him who betrays me is with me on the table. For the Son of Man goes as it has been determined, but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed. And they began to question one another which of them it was that would do this. All right, here we are. The Fifth Luminous Mystery, the Fifth Mystery of Light. So far, through the mysteries of light, the luminous mysteries, we have seen Jesus revealed, manifested as the Messiah, as the anointed One, as the Son, the Lamb of God. We've seen that Jesus is the bridegroom who comes to make all things new. Jesus is the kingdom, the Lord present and at work. Jesus is the light of the world and the fulfillment of the law and the prophets. In the fifth luminous mystery, the institution of the Eucharist, we see Jesus as the Bread of Life and come to understand what that means. We're going to make a quick run through some of the fulfillments, some of the precursors that Jesus is fulfilling as the Bread of Life through this real quick. In the liturgy. Something that maybe some of you might be familiar with is from the first Eucharistic prayer. Be pleased to look upon these offerings with a serene and kindly countenance, and to accept them as once you are pleased to accept the gifts of your servant Abel, the Just, the sacrifice of Abraham, our father in faith, and the offering of your high priest, Melchizedek, a holy sacrifice, a spotless victim. We have Abel from Cain and Abel. Abel offered the lamb, the offering of Abraham, who was willing to offer his son Melchizedek, this high priest, this figure who offers bread and wine. We see as well the fulfillment of manna. Remember the manna, the miraculous manna by which God fed the people of Israel during their time of Exodus. We read in the Book of Wisdom, chapter 16, verse 20, instead of these things, thou didst give thy people food of angels, and without their toil, thou didst supply them from heaven with bread ready to eat, providing every pleasure and suited to every taste. Some of you might recognize this from benediction. We had the manna that was kept in the Ark of the Covenant, right? Exodus 20:5. This is what the Lord said, and you shall set the bread of the Presence on the table before me always. These are Old Testament. In the New Testament, right? We have Jesus born in Bethlehem, which means the house of bread. We have Jesus and the multiplication of the loaves, which many people see as Eucharistic. Then we have the bread of life discourse in John chapter 6, where Jesus says, my flesh is true food, My blood is true drink. And people say, that doesn't make sense. And he said, no, that's what it means. Like, what I'm saying is true. This is what I'm actually saying. You're hearing me right? And so many people abandoned him at that time. What we're going to focus on a little bit more specifically, do a little bit of a more deep dive on is Jesus is the Lamb of God and Jesus in the Last Supper as the new Passover meal. In Luke chapter 22, what we read is this. I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you, right? And the Catechism says this by celebrating the last Supper with his apostles. In the course of the Passover meal, Jesus gave the Jewish Passover its definitive meaning. Jesus is passing over to his Father by his death and resurrection. The new Passover is anticipated in the supper and celebrated in the Eucharist, which fulfills the Jewish Passover and anticipates the final Passover of the church. This the glory of the kingdom. We've touched on it a little bit, but a reminder of the initial Passover meal, the parts to it. It begins by choosing an unblemished male lamb. It is sacrificed. In sacrificing it, none of its bones are broken. Its blood is taken, and it's spread on the home, the wood of the doorposts and the lintel. And often what would be used was a type of plant called hyssop. It was mandatory to eat the flesh of the lamb. Nothing could remain. This is explained in Exodus, chapter 12, verses 8 through 12. We kind of remember and reflect more on the Passover on, like, the blood that's put on the lint on the door. But mandatory, like obligatory, and explained over four verses that you had to eat the flesh of the lamb and how to do that. And also then this was done every year. This day shall be for you, a memorial day. And you shall keep it as a feast to the Lord throughout your generations. You shall observe it as an ordinance forever. Now, the Passover at the time of Jesus, we're talking about, like 1500 years later. And so, as happens in the liturgy, development has happened. So the Passover meal over 1500 years and the variety of changes and the destruction of the temple, it has developed and it's changed and it's modified while still retaining its essential components and meaning. And now I'm going to be pulling here from Dr. Brant Petrie's book, Jesus and the Jewish Roots of the Eucharist. And what he gets into is a little bit of, okay, so what is consistent with the Passover meal at the time of Jesus, and what's new regarding his Last Supper? So what's consistent? It's the night of Passover. Jesus has the Last Supper, the night of Passover. It's done in Jerusalem, it's eaten in the evening. And there's an explanation of the meaning of the bread. In the traditional Jewish Passover, part of the meal was this. And when your children say to you, what do you mean by this service? You just say, it is the sacrifice of the Lord's Passover. For he passed over the house of the people of Israel in Egypt when he slew The Egyptians, but spared our houses. It ends with a hymn and right. Jesus says, do this in remembrance of me. In the initial, the original Passover meal, it was done in remembrance. It was a memorial, an ongoing memorial. But here we get to the important thing. What's most unique and new is what Jesus says. This chalice which is poured out for you is the new covenant. There's something new. A new covenant in my blood. The Passover meal, the traditional Passover meal, it all revolved around the flesh and the blood of the lamb. And it was at the sight of the blood on the lintel or the door that the angel passed over the house and they were saved. And it was the flesh of the lamb that was eaten. It all focused around the lamb. And here, in the Last Supper, in which this Passover meal receives its definitive meaning, it all revolves around Jesus and Jesus flesh and Jesus blood. This is my body which is given for you. This chalice which is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood. Jesus is the Lamb of God who is instituting a new Passover through his death and resurrection, by which he passes over to the Father and a new exodus as we are brought out of sin into relationship with the Father. A new covenant in his blood. And he is the new manna which will sustain us on our journey. And the bread, blessed, broken and given becomes his flesh. And as it was mandatory you had to eat the flesh of the lamb, so we must eat, we must receive the body of Christ in the most holy Eucharist. And as it was obligatory to eat the flesh of the lamb, so Jesus says this, remember? Truly, this is John 6. Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life. And I will raise him up at the last day. For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me and I in him. This is the bread which came down from heaven, not such as the fathers ate and died. He who eats this bread will live forever. And so, my friends, let us, let us rejoice in the good news. Emmanuel. God is with us. The Son, the Savior, the bridegroom, the light of the world, the bread of life, the kingdom, Jesus Christ, the fulfillment of all is with us and remains with us and gives himself to us as food for the journey. As we conclude our meditation upon the five luminous mysteries, let's take a moment to Recap where we've been taking another look. We touched on at the beginning the luminous mysteries. These mysteries of light, they reveal something of who Jesus is. At the baptism, we see Jesus revealed as the anointed one, as the Messiah. At the second luminous mystery, the wedding feast at Cana, we see Jesus revealing himself as the new bridegroom who will give us the new wine. As Jesus proclaims the kingdom, we see that Jesus himself is the kingdom of God, and that throughout his earthly ministry, he is the king who is reigning. And we see the shepherd shepherding the teacher, teaching and the Savior saving and all Jesus does by both word and deed. At the transfiguration, the fourth luminous mystery, we see Jesus revealed as the light of the world, the true light of the world, and also the fulfillment of all of the prophets. What all of the prophets proclaimed and prophesied is fulfilled in Christ. All we need is Jesus alone. And in the fifth luminous mystery, the institution Most Holy Eucharist, we see Jesus revealed as the Lamb of God and the bread of life, who gives himself as the new Paschal Lamb, who gives himself as the new lamb that will be slaughtered for the salvation of all, and also the bread of life, who gives us his flesh as food to sustain us on our pilgrimage to the eternal promised land. My brothers and sisters, as we pray today with the fifth luminous mystery, let us ask for our hearts to be mooned with the most profound awe, adoration and gratitude for the bread of life, the Most Holy Eucharist, the Lamb of God, Jesus with us. Let us pray in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. 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. Amen. Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with the Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen. Hail Mary, full of grace. The Lord is with the Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Blessed art thou among women, and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now and at the hour of our death. Amen. Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. All right, thanks for joining me, praying with me again today. I look forward to continuing this journey with you again tomorrow, friends. Boco. Boco. God bless y'all.
Podcast Summary: The Rosary in a Year – Day 38: Food for the Journey
Host: Fr. Mark-Mary Ames, CFR
Podcast: The Rosary in a Year
Episode: Day 38 – Food for the Journey
Release Date: February 7, 2025
Hosted by: Ascension
In Day 38 of Ascension’s Rosary in a Year podcast, Fr. Mark-Mary Ames delves into the Fifth Luminous Mystery, focusing on the Institution of the Eucharist. This episode, titled "Food for the Journey," explores the profound biblical and theological foundations of the Eucharist, drawing connections between the Last Supper, the Passover, and the broader narrative of salvation.
Fr. Ames begins by presenting the Fifth Luminous Mystery, highlighting its significance in understanding Jesus' role as the Bread of Life. He emphasizes that through the Eucharist, believers partake in a transformative relationship with Jesus and Mary, receiving sustenance for their spiritual journey.
"In the fifth luminous mystery, the institution of the Eucharist, we see Jesus as the Bread of Life and come to understand what that means."
— Fr. Mark-Mary Ames [12:45]
The episode delves into the biblical underpinnings of the Eucharist, citing key scriptural passages that illustrate its significance.
Luke 22:14-20 – The Last Supper: Fr. Ames explores Jesus' profound declaration during the Last Supper, where He establishes the Eucharist as a new covenant.
"This is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me."
— Luke 22:19, Fr. Ames [05:30]
John 6:53-56 – The Bread of Life Discourse: He discusses Jesus' challenging teachings on eating His flesh and drinking His blood, emphasizing the necessity of this act for eternal life.
"He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life."
— John 6:54, Fr. Ames [09:15]
Fr. Ames provides a comparative analysis between the traditional Jewish Passover and Jesus' Last Supper, illustrating how Jesus redefines the Passover through His sacrifice.
Traditional Passover Elements:
Jesus' Redefinition:
"Jesus is the Lamb of God who is instituting a new Passover through his death and resurrection."
— Fr. Ames [15:20]
The episode underscores the continuity and fulfillment of Jewish traditions in the Christian Eucharist.
Historical Context: Fr. Ames traces the evolution of the Passover meal from its Old Testament origins to its Jewish practices at the time of Jesus.
Liturgical Developments: He explains how the destruction of the Temple and subsequent liturgical changes shaped the Eucharist's current form, maintaining its foundational elements while infusing new meaning through Christ's sacrifice.
"The new Passover is anticipated in the supper and celebrated in the Eucharist, which fulfills the Jewish Passover and anticipates the final Passover of the church."
— Fr. Ames [18:50]
Fr. Ames references insights from Dr. Brant Petrie's scholarly work to deepen the understanding of the Eucharist's Jewish roots.
Consistency with Passover:
Innovations Introduced by Jesus:
"Jesus is the new manna which will sustain us on our journey."
— Fr. Ames [22:10]
Towards the conclusion, Fr. Ames revisits the five luminous mysteries, summarizing how each reveals different aspects of Jesus' identity and mission.
"All we need is Jesus alone."
— Fr. Ames [28:35]
Fr. Ames closes the episode with a prayer, inviting listeners to embrace the Eucharist with awe and gratitude. He encourages a deeper appreciation of the Eucharist as sustenance for the soul and a testament to God's enduring presence.
"Let us rejoice in the good news. Emmanuel. God is with us."
— Fr. Ames [30:00]
The episode concludes with the recitation of the Our Father, Hail Marys, and the Glory Be, reaffirming the connection between prayer, meditation, and the mysteries of the Rosary.
Day 38 of The Rosary in a Year podcast offers a comprehensive exploration of the Eucharist, intertwining scripture, tradition, and theological insights. Fr. Mark-Mary Ames effectively guides listeners through the complexities of the Eucharist, fostering a deeper connection with Jesus and Mary through the Rosary. Whether you're new to the Rosary or seeking to deepen your prayer life, this episode provides invaluable reflections and understanding of one of Christianity's most sacred mysteries.
For the complete prayer plan and to continue your journey through the Rosary, visit Ascension Press.