Thursday of Holy Week: The Holy Eucharist

Our wooden bunch of grapes

Today, Holy Church celebrates the Institution of the Holy Eucharist with the Mass of the Lord's Supper, so today we hang symbols which remind us of the Last Supper on our tree.  We found the wooden grapes years ago, and we used to also hang up a small bundle of small dried grass stalks that looked rather like wheat--until they were eaten by some mice!  So, we just use the wooden grapes now.
  

Our Scripture passage for today is Mark 14:12-26.  This passage recounts some of the events of the Last Supper.  The children recognize the words of the Holy Mass and so can easily begin to understand that our Church was founded by Christ Himself.  We discuss the betrayal of Judas--how he had already arranged to betray Jesus for money and how he left the first Mass, intending to go get the soldiers to arrest Jesus.  This year we included the following passage which tells of Jesus's prophecy that Peter would betray Him.  We compare Judas's betrayal and lack of repentance with Peter's betrayal that was forgiven because he repented and professed his love of Jesus (see John 21:15-19) 

As you and your family begin this holy Paschal Triduum, I pray for each of you reading this blog. 

The Last Supper, Juan de Juanes

...and may the God of peace, who brought again from the dead the great pastor of the sheep, our Lord Jesus Christ, in the blood of the everlasting testament,  Fit you in all goodness, that you may do his will; doing in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom is glory for ever and ever. Amen. ~Hebrews 13:20-22