"For this is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed on behalf of many for the forgiveness of sins." (Mt. 26:28)

The words of Consecration as they are known are not the only important part of the Last Supper... nor is our understanding of those words instituting the Holy Mass exhausted in that Jesus spoke of the wine as His blood shed for the many. To understand the real significance of Jesus’ actions, we must understand the notion of COVENANT.

A covenant (as opposed to a pact or contract--usually political, mutual and reciprocal), is a relationship of love between God and His people. God showers us with His divine love simply because He wants to. At times, He asks something (usually fidelity) of us. An ancient sign of that covenant was BLOOD. As a sign of the unifying nature of the covenant between God and His people, half of the blood would be sprinkled over the altar and the other half over the people.

This new covenant now takes on a dimension of being much more than a memorial of the covenant God established the Jews, a covenant broken over and over by their forefathers.

The blood that Jesus refers to is the seal of the new covenant. It is the blood of the Sacrificial Lamb to be slain as an offering to the Father on the Cross on Calvary. It is to be offered up by Christ the High Priest. That blood shall be shed for a purpose... "on behalf of many for the forgiveness of sins."

Jesus asked His apostles to drink of the cup of His Blood... to drink divine LIFE. Jesus’ covenant is a Eucharistic covenant about the gift of life. He then handed over His life in anticipation of the covenant that was to be shortly sealed as He was to begin His death march and carry it to total fruition on the Cross.

"I am the living bread that came down from heaven; whoever eats this bread will live forever; and the bread that I will give is my flesh for the life of the world." (Jn. 6:51)

Psalm 115:9 "The house of Israel trusts in the LORD, who is their help and shield."