2023/10/16

113. Successors of the Apostles, part 8

"Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, 'Take, eat; this is my body.' And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, 'Drink of it, all of you; for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins'" (Matthew 26:26-28). 

The above verses are the scene of the institution of the Eucharist at the Last Supper in the Gospel of Matthew. A central part of the Mass liturgy derives from this scene. Jesus redeemed man's sins with his Passion and death. Not only that, but he also redeemed the people's faults described at the beginning of the Book of Genesis with his words. Congregations, in their participation in the Mass liturgy, inherit and bear witness to this work of redemption of Jesus by his words. That is because, as Jesus commanded his disciples, when the Holy Spirit bears witness to Jesus, believers who know the New Testament will also bear witness (cf. John 15:26-27). 

With the words "Take, eat; this is my body," Jesus redeemed the words of Genesis describing the 'man' and the 'woman' who, in disobedience to God's command, "took and ate" from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. The believers voluntarily inherit and bear witness to this redemptive work of Jesus by receiving with their own hands and 'taking and eating' the Holy Eucharist distributed by the priest, according to Jesus' words. 

Also, the fact that the 'woman' in Genesis disobeyed God's words, being beguiled by the words of the 'serpent' "You will not die," in her exchange with it was redeemed by the answer of Martha of Bethany led by Jesus in her conversation with Jesus, "Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, he who is coming into the world" (John 11:27), which was the response to the question by Jesus: "[W]hoever lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?" (John 11:25). The believers voluntarily inherit and bear witness to this redemptive work of Jesus by confessing these words of Martha, which is the same as Peter's confession, before the Holy Eucharist trusting in Jesus' words: "I am the living bread which came down from heaven" (John 6:51). 

Jesus, God, at the last supper, completed the work of atonement imposed on the 'man' in Genesis, 'eating bread in the sweat of your face,' by being born male. Then, he commanded the Apostles to make that time constantly present. Namely, he entrusted them with the work of giving birth to the Eucharist in collaboration with the Holy Spirit. When male believers voluntarily inherit this new office and fulfil their duties, they will bear witness to this redeeming work of Jesus (cf. blog № 110). 

Once the Mass liturgy is improved with the fulfilment of these requirements and further purified, the angel who came down from heaven with the 'key of the bottomless pit' in his hand will begin to work (cf. Revelation 20:1-3). That means that the occurrence of man's accidental information will be sealed off in that place. 

To be continued.

Maria K. M.