I will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered

 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

Yesterday,  we read that on the first day of the Feast of the Unleavened Bread, the disciples came to Jesus, saying to Him, "Where do you want us to prepare for You to eat the Passover?"  And He said, "Go into the city to a certain man, and say to him, 'The Teacher says, "My time is at hand; I will keep the Passover at your house with My disciples."'"  So the disciples did as Jesus had directed them; and they prepared the Passover.  When evening had come, He sat down with the twelve.  Now as they were eating, He said, "Assuredly, I say to you, one of you will betray Me."  And they were exceedingly sorrowful, and each of them began to say to Him, "Lord, is it I?"  He answered and said, "He who dipped his hand with Me in the dish will betray Me.  The Son of Man indeed goes just as it is written of Him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed!  It would have been good for that man if he had not been born."  Then Judas, who was betraying Him, answered and said, "Rabbi, is it I?"  He said 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."     Here, my study bible has a long note:  "Jesus institutes the Eucharist, the long-awaited messianic banquet, to which He admits even Judas (compare Esther 7), seeking by all means to save Him.  Because of his wicked heart, Judas' participation leads to his condemnation (1 Corinthians 11:27-30)."  When we receive communion during the liturgy, we are invited with Christ's words, to receive His body and blood.   It is something that unites us to Christ.  Jesus gave thanks (in Greek, this is the root of "eucharist") in order to teach us (1) how we must celebrate this sacrament, (2) that He goes willingly to His Passion, and (3) that we accept sufferings with thankfulness, for we know God can use our sufferings for ultimate good.  The note continues, "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 to conquer sin and death and to reconcile us with God.  Christ calls it the blood of the new covenant, which is God's promise and the fulfillment of the Law.  By new, He means this covenant brings immortality and incorruptible life; this covenant will always have the quality of newness."   The eternal "newness" of the covenant reminds us of the words from Revelation 21: "Behold, I am making all things new!" (v. 5).  For many, as we've read before, is an Aramaic expression which means "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."  And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.  My study bible notes that Church Fathers teach here that Jesus also drinks the cup of His own Blood.  Similar to His Baptism in the Jordan, He drinks this in order to lead others and bless; in this case it is to lead all believers into participation in His heavenly mysteries.  It notes that, "In My Father's kingdom relates to the time after His Resurrection, when Christ will eat and drink to show the reality of His victory over death."

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.  Jesus quotes from the prophecy of Zechariah (see Zechariah 13:7).

"I will strike the Shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered."  Perhaps we're not quite capable of grasping how profound this statement, this prophecy, really is.  It tells us how much we have need of leaders, spiritual teachers and leaders who, simply by doing, living a life as God has led them, teach by example.  We're not talking about the leadership of a politician, or a commander, or that is based in a title (although I hasten to say this kind of leadership might be made manifest in anyone).  This is a kind of leadership that is something like the authority with which Jesus spoke throughout His ministry, that made others marvel.  He had no title.  He had no official position.  He had no real material power to speak of, excepting the times when His spiritual authority interceded to heal in all manner of ways. But there was power, always, in His words and His teachings.  This is not just the spellbinding power of a good orator or speaker (even vile dictators and con artists who lead others into disaster may have that power).  This is the power of the Kingdom manifest in His words, what He taught, and also what He showed others by His life.  This is the authority that is always of the Kingdom, even as it may manifest in this world.  It is the authority in His Person and His identity, in His work.  And He calls us all to be "like Him."  We are all called to grow in this relationship and participation in the Kingdom.  And there we come to the Eucharist.  Just as Jesus was baptized in the Jordan -- not because He needed to be baptized, but because He at once showed the way for each of us, and at the same time blessed the waters of the world for Baptism for His Church.  In today's reading, we receive another sacrament, another way the things of this world are blessed (or perhaps re-blessed) by God, in the manifestation of the Kingdom right here in this world, to introduce us to this life in Christ, to mingle within us His body and blood of this new covenant, so that we may participate.  As courageous leader, He not only sets the tone, and leaves us with the sacraments to remember and to participate in His living Kingdom in which He is always making all things new -- but He is also going in humility where God the Father leads Him, to teach us, as well, and to lead the way.  We contrast the great (and when we consider that He is Christ, we must call it "immense") humility of Jesus in these acts as He prepares Himself and His disciples for what is now to come.  Even knowing that the sheep will be scattered, He goes forward in commitment to faith and trust.  Our leader sets the example, while the disciples (through their spokesperson, Peter) are full of the kind of courage that comes before experience, and without understanding the great need we have of the spiritual life, of God, of Christ, for true courage -- which takes humility.  We will read later the outcome of this resolution, the failure to heed Jesus' words.  Let us now understand the humility of Jesus' choice, how knowing oneself is the one thing that can lead to true courage -- that which is born of faith and humility.  This is what leadership is all about.