The Fifth Luminous Mystery:
The Institution of the Eucharist

“[H]e took the bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body, which will be given for you; do this in memory of me.’ And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which will be shed for you’” (Lk 22:19-20).

“When the hour came, he took his place at table with the apostles. He said to them, ‘I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer, for, I tell you, I shall not eat it [again] until there is fulfillment in the kingdom of God.’ Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and said, ‘Take this and share it among yourselves; for I tell you [that] from this time on I shall not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.’ Then he took the bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body, which will be given for you; do this in memory of me.’ And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which will be shed for you’” (Lk 22:15-20).

“Christ offers his body and blood as food under the signs of bread and wine, and testifies ‘to the end’ his love for humanity (Jn 13:1), for whose salvation he will offer himself in sacrifice” (RVM 21).

The Eucharist is Christ’s gift to the Church, through which he makes perpetually present the paschal mystery. The Eucharist manifests a “mysterious oneness in time” between the Easter Triduum and every Mass in every age (St. John Paul II). Each Mass spans time and space to make us mystically present at the Last Supper, the Passion, and the Easter Vigil; each Mass bridges time and space to make us mystically united with every Mass and all believers; each Mass connects time and space to make us mystically present and united with the heavenly liturgy; each Mass anticipates the eternal banquet—reaches out and touches it—when God will be all in all.

Briefly reflect, discuss with God, and Praise God.

Christ calls himself the bread of life, come down from heaven (Jn 6:35). “He is The Bread sown in the virgin, leavened in the Flesh, molded in His Passion, baked in the furnace of the Tomb, placed in the Churches, and set upon the Altars, which daily supplies Heavenly Food to the faithful” (St. Peter Chrysologus). “If angels could be jealous of men, they would be so for one reason: Holy Communion” (St. Maximilian Kolbe). “When you have received Him, stir up your heart to do Him homage; speak to Him about your spiritual life, gazing upon Him in your soul where He is present for your happiness; welcome Him as warmly as possible, and behave outwardly in such a way that your actions may give proof to all of His Presence” (St. Francis de Sales).

Briefly reflect, discuss with God, and Praise God.

“The Lord, having loved those who were his own, loved them to the end. Knowing that the hour had come to leave this world and return to the Father, in the course of a meal he washed their feet and gave them the commandment of love. In order to leave them a pledge of this love, in order never to depart from his own and to make them sharers in his Passover, he instituted the Eucharist as the memorial of his death and Resurrection, and commanded his apostles to celebrate it until his return; ‘thereby he constituted them priests of the New Testament’” (CCC 1337).

Briefly reflect, discuss with God, and Praise God.

“Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread” (1Cor 10:17). “By sharing sacramentally in the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, you and I are united in a communion of life and love, first with the Triune God, and then with one another and with those who have preceded us in death” (Archbishop Lori). The Eucharist is the sign and source of our unity. When we proceed together to the altar to receive communion, we proceed together through the journey of life to God himself and the eternal banquet of the communion of saints.

Briefly reflect, discuss with God, and Praise God.

“Do you realize that Jesus is there in the tabernacle expressly for you—for you alone? He burns with the desire to come into your heart… don’t listen to the demon, laugh at him, and go without fear to receive the Jesus of peace and love” (St. Therese of Lisieux).

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“All the good works in the world are not equal to the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass because they are the works of men; but the Mass is the work of God. Martyrdom is nothing in comparison for it is but the sacrifice of man to God; but the Mass is the sacrifice of God for man” (St. John Vianney, Cure d’Ars).

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“How many of you say: I should like to see His face, His garments, His shoes. You do see Him, you touch Him, you eat Him. He gives Himself to you, not only that you may see Him, but also to be your food and nourishment” (St. John Chrysostom).

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“By virtue of His words, the bread—while keeping the external appearance of bread—becomes His Body, and the wine—while maintaining the external appearance of wine—becomes His Blood. THIS IS THE GREAT MYSTERY OF FAITH! THIS IS THE LIVING BREAD WHICH CAME DOWN FROM HEAVEN!” (John Paul II)

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“In the Eucharist, we truly receive the One who loves us like no other—the One who emptied himself, became one of us, preached, healed, suffered and died, rising from the dead to defeat sin and death. In the Eucharist, we make living contact with Jesus, the gift of the Father, the gift of love and the gift of peace” (Archbishop William E. Lori).

Hail, Holy Queen, Mother of Mercy,
our life, our sweetness and our hope.
To thee do we cry,
poor banished children of Eve.
To thee do we send up our sighs,
mourning and weeping in this valley of tears.
Turn then, most gracious advocate,
thine eyes of mercy toward us,
and after this our exile
show unto us the blessed fruit of thy womb, Jesus.
O clement, O loving,
O sweet Virgin Mary.

V. Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God.
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

O God, whose only-begotten Son, by His life, death, and Resurrection, has purchased for us the rewards of eternal life; grant, we beseech thee, that by meditating upon these mysteries of the most holy Rosary of the Blessed Virgin Mary, we may imitate what they contain and obtain what they promise, through the same Christ, our Lord. Amen.