The Last Supper. St. Matthew, Chapter 26; St. Mark, Chapter 14; St. Luke, Chapter 22;
1 Cor 11:23-26 and St. John Chapter 13-Chapter 17. All Bibles
The most famous supper in the history of the world took place in Jerusalem on the Thursday of Holy Week. At the Last Supper, Our Lord prepared the Apostles for His Passion, Death and Resurrection.
Each evangelist describes the circumstances surrounding the Last Supper. Additionally, St. Paul gives us an account in 1 Cor 11; 23-26. As Pope Leo XIII stated in his famous 1893 encyclical, Providentissimus Deus, the Holy Spirit inspired the sacred writers, guided their writing and preserved them from error. The evangelists therefore wrote their accounts of the Last Supper under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Though each account includes different facts about the Last Supper, all four Gospels and St. Paul reveal what the Holy Spirit knows we need to understand and love Christ.
The first three gospels and St. Paul’s account describe the First Mass being celebrated by the Lord Himself. Here, the famous words: “Do this in memory of Me” (Lk 22:19) tell Christians that the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass is to be celebrated throughout history.
The sacred writers also tell us what the Holy Eucharist is. Jesus takes the bread, blesses it and says: “Take and eat, this is my Body. And He took the cup and when He had given thanks gave it to them saying: Drink of it all of you, for this is the blood of the covenant, which is poured out for the many for the forgiveness of sins.” (Mt 26:26-29)
St. John describes another part of the Last Supper. These are his highly consoling Chapters 13-17. They are sometimes called the Farewell Discourses. Here we hear Christ telling the apostles in Chapter 14 that there are many mansions in His Father’s house and He is going to prepare a place for them. He tells them to ask for things in His name and His Father will grant them. Next, in Chapter 15, Our Lord uses the marvelous image of the vine and the branches. By staying united to Him, we will bear much fruit. In Chapter 16, Jesus tells the apostles that He is going away so that the Holy Spirit may come. Then concludes the Farewell Discourses with the uplifting Chapter 17, known as the High Priestly Prayer. In this Prayer, Christ consecrates the apostles to God the Father. These four chapters may be the most uplifting passages in the entire bible.
So as Holy Week begins, and many of us cannot attend church because of the coronavirus pandemic, open your bibles and read the Last Supper and Passion accounts. Share them with your family. The famous Vatican II document on divine revelation, Dei Verbum (Word of God) tells us in Chapter VI that “In the sacred books the Father who is in heaven comes lovingly to meet his children, and talks with them.” Through reading these beautiful chapters with your family, you will become instruments with God the Father in blessing your families.
In this time of sorrow and fear, these sacred accounts can give us courage and strength. Then on Sunday morning, we will have the courage to say the traditional greeting: “He has risen, He has truly risen.” I hope you have a blessed Easter.
