I will strike the Shepherd

And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, "Take, eat, this is my body." Then he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you. For this is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom."

And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Then Jesus said to them, "All of you will be made to stumble because of me this night, for it is written:

'I will strike the Shepherd,

And the sheep of the flock will be scattered.'

"But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee." Peter answered and said to him, "Even if all are made to stumble because of you, I will never be made to stumble." Jesus said to him, "Assuredly, I say to you that this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times." Peter said to him, "Even if I have to die with you, I will not deny you!" And so said all the disciples.

- Matthew 26:26-35

In today's reading, Jesus is at the Passover meal with his disciples. In yesterday's reading, we read of Jesus' response to Judas; Jesus told his disciples that one of them eating together with him would betray him. When Judas asked, "Rabbi, is it I?" Jesus responded to him, "You have said it."

And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, "Take, eat, this is my body." Then he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you. For this is my blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins." My study bible has the following note on these verses: "Jesus institutes the Eucharist, the long-awaited messianic banquet, to which he admits even Judas, seeking by all means to save him. These words are repeated in the Divine Liturgy at the invitation of Christ to receive his body and blood. Thus it is clear we are invited to a feast, to the Last Supper, at which we become truly united to Christ. He gave thanks (v. 27) to teach us (1) how we should celebrate this sacrament, (2) that he comes willingly to his Passion, and (3) whatever we may suffer, to bear it as he did: thankfully."

In yesterday's reading, we discussed the meaning of this Passover sacrifice as it reflects on the first Passover of Israel. In this sense, Jesus is our perfect spring lamb. My study bible continues on this subject: "The Old Covenant was sealed with the blood of bulls and goats. The new is sealed by the gift of Christ, who shed his own blood (v. 28) to reconcile us with God and reunite us to himself. He calls it the blood of the new covenant, that is, God's promise, the new Law. By new he means we now have immortal and incorruptible Life. For many is a Semitic idiom meaning 'for all.' "

"But I say to you, I will not drink of this fruit of the vine from now on until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom." My study bible notes, "Jesus himself drinks of the cup, his own blood, in order to lead the disciples into participation in the heavenly mysteries. In my Father's kingdom relates the Eucharist to the age to come, for the Last Supper inaugurates the future messianic banquet." We have discussed this messianic banquet in the reading on the parable of the Wise and Foolish. In the Eucharist, then, we have a reminder of the end of the age - a permanent timeless reality that is an eternal present. The Church in its institutions and practices constantly reminds us that we live not merely in a three-dimensional world with time as its nature that binds our lives, but we also live with the reality of Spirit and its eternal present reality. We join in that place in the Church as we participate in mystery, and Christ shares with us all that it is for our lives, one day at a time.

And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. Then Jesus said to them, "All of you will be made to stumble because of me this night, for it is written: 'I will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.' " The quotation is from Zechariah 13:7. It is quite remarkable that the institution of the Eucharist happens amidst what is perhaps the lowest point in the narratives of Christ's life, the saddest - that of his betrayal. He knows what is happening, and he knows what will happen. He knows that the sheep will be scattered. The phrase "made to stumble" is the translation of the verb that is literally to "be scandalized" in Greek. It comes from the word for a stumbling block in a trap - but it means to "give offense." Their emotional response will be to flee, to be scattered.

"But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee." Peter answered and said to him, "Even if all are made to stumble because of you, I will never be made to stumble." Jesus said to him, "Assuredly, I say to you that this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times." Peter said to him, "Even if I have to die with you, I will not deny you!" And so said all the disciples. They all swear allegiance to him, but Jesus knows, and we know from the gospels, what is going to happen. It is important that Jesus predicts, "But after I have been raised, I will go before you to Galilee." He also knows of the spiritual reality included in this story. I find it important to consider the understanding of stumbling into a trap, of being scandalized, or taking offense. We have our faith. We consider what is right, what is in our hearts. But there are provocations all around. People will take action that scandalizes, that causes people to be outraged, to respond emotionally, to "take offense." This happens all the time in our lives, and we must be on guard about it. It really doesn't matter what the subject is - anything can steal our peace of mind, the peace in our hearts, and our resting place as a place centered on love. Whether we are speaking of daily life, family life, the workplace, it little matters. There are those things calculated to cause us to stumble, to take us off the mark, to dismiss and perturb our equilibrium. The key is to stay focused in that centered place of the heart, resting in Love, abiding in him as we are taught. What does that place teach you, when all around are "scandalized?" Let us never forget this remarkable, almost unbelievable story -- the night of his betrayal is the night Jesus taught us to give thanks (the word Eucharist means to "give thanks"), to always be reminded of the wedding feast which is always open to all of us, a present spiritual reality in which we participate, even in the midst of all our lives, no matter what is happening.