The Lord himself gave us the Eucharist at the Last Supper. The Eucharistic sacrifice “is wholly directed toward the intimate union of the faithful with Christ through communion.” It is Christ himself who is received in Holy Communion, who said to his disciples, “Take and eat, this is my body.”Giving thanks, he then took the chalice and said: “Take and drink, this is the cup of my blood. Do this in remembrance of me”(Mt 26,26-27; 1 Cor 11,25).
We have a command from Jesus to eat his body and drink his blood. Our bishops continue to encourage us to receive from the cup: “Sharing in both Eucharistic species reflects more fully the sacred realities that the Liturgy signifies” (Norms for the Distribution and Reception of Holy Communion, 11, USCCB). At Mass we present our gifts of bread and wine, the fruit of our labors; they are transformed into the Body and Blood of Jesus and given back to us in Holy Communion as nourishment for our daily lives. Drinking the Blood of Christ from one cup means we share a cup that contains joy and suffering, pain and a promise. The grapes gave up their lives. Christ gave up his life. In drinking from the cup he drank, we give up our lives. It is the reality, that mystery to which we respond “Amen!” (© 2009, World Library Publications, All rights reserved.)