Readings Between the Lines

Reflections

The importance of sharing the blood of the covenant

Readings Between the Lines

Father Glenn LeCompte

“Father, when will we be able to receive from the chalice again at Mass?” This question has been posed to me by several people in our diocese. At this time, all I can say regarding the practice in our diocese is “I don’t know.” Dennis Schnurr, Archbishop of Cincinnati, gave permission to reinstate the practice of giving holy Communion under both species at Masses in the archdiocese at the discretion of the pastor of each parish beginning April 24, 2022. At the time of my writing this article, I have not heard of other bishops doing so.

In any case, the return of the distribution of the Precious Blood of Christ, in addition to his Sacred Body, at Mass is in the thoughts of many Catholics in our country. Mindful of this, I am continuing my series on biblical foundations of the Eucharist with a focus on the Precious Blood.

My consideration of the Precious Blood is based on Exodus 24:3-8. This passage recounts Moses performing a ritual with blood that serves as a ceremony for ratifying the Sinai Covenant. The passage begins with Moses recounting all the “words” (the “Ten Words” = Ten Commandments, Exodus 20:1-17) and the “statutes” (the Covenant Code, Exodus 20:18—23:33). The Covenant Code was actually an independent group of laws pertaining to situations in rural life before Israel was under a united monarchy. It is part of the covenant law depicted as being presented to the Israelites at Mount Sinai. Moses recounts the text of the covenant and the people give verbal assent to “do” and “observe” God’s commands. God invites the people into a covenant relationship which is defined by the words and statutes just recounted to them, but they have to agree to embrace them as a guide for their lives.

To seal the ratification ceremony, Moses performs a ritual using blood. He has some young men sacrifice young bullocks and make of them a burnt offering. This offering is called a “well-being” or “wholeness” offering; a description of such a ritual is found in Leviticus 3:1-17. While the purpose of the well-being offering is not totally clear, it represents “ ... the preservation of harmonious relations between the participants and Yahweh as portrayed especially in the shared offering” (R.J. Faley, T.O.R., “Leviticus” in New Jerome Biblical Commentary, page 63). Moses presents the Lord’s words and statutes, and the people commit themselves verbally to carrying them out (Exodus 24:3), an exchange which reflects a harmonious relationship between the people and God at this point.

After the sacrifice is offered, Moses builds an altar and 12 pillars, representing the 12 tribes of Israel, that is, the whole nation. He puts half of the blood drained from the animals into bowls and the other half he sprinkles on the altar. Then he takes the book of the Law (the laws he has just recounted put into writing) and the elders, on behalf of the people, declare again that the people will “do” and “observe” all that is written in the book. Then Moses takes the blood in the bowls, sprinkles it upon the people and declares it “the blood of the covenant.” Leviticus 17:8-12 maintains two things about the blood of a sacrificed animal. First, the poured out blood is a symbol of atonement. Secondly, people are not to consume blood because the life of a being is considered to be in the blood, a logical conclusion of ancient people since the animal dies when its blood is shed. Moses’ practice of sprinkling some of the blood of the sacrifices on the altar and the other half on the people reflects the people’s sharing in life with God. They share in God’s life through commitment to God’s Law.

Moses’ phrase, “the blood of the covenant” (Exodus 24:8) is recalled by Jesus at the Last Supper in reference to his own blood, which is to be shed (Mark 14:24; Matthew 26:28). He calls the cup of wine which he commands the disciples at table with him to drink, “ my blood-of-the-covenant which is poured out for many.” In other words, Jesus is declaring that his shed blood will become the means of atonement and sharing in the life of God. The shedding of his blood, once for a

Reflections

all, would replace all expiatory animal sacrifices in the Law (Hebrews 10:1114). In addition, Jesus in Luke 22:20 declares that the cup he holds before his disciples at the Last Supper is “the new covenant in my blood.” In other words, the covenant relationship between the Israelites and their God is brought to a new level through Jesus. Atonement for sin comes through the shedding of his blood, and those who drink of his blood enter into a covenant relationship with God. Finally, whereas Israelites were not to drink the blood of slaughtered animals, Jesus declares that in order to have life in God through him people are to drink of his blood (John 6:53-54), for by doing so they will share in God’s life. Whenever we drink of the Precious Blood of Christ at the Eucharist we participate in the benefits of his atoning death and enjoy eternal life with God through Jesus Christ. Moreover, by drinking of his blood-ofthe-covenant we share in a covenant relationship with God because through Jesus’ sacrifice we have been reconciled to God. While we receive “the whole Christ” when we partake of only his Sacred Body, our sharing in the cup of Christ’s blood reinforces for us everything that the shedding of his blood signifies–expiation, covenant relationship, participation in eternal life.

Along with Christ’s Sacred Body, there are important reasons for offering the eucharistic chalice at Mass and our partaking of it. On the one hand, doing so conveys and declares the significance of Christ’s blood poured out on our behalf. On the other hand, our communion not only with God but with one another is reinforced. When the Precious Blood is distributed along with the Sacred Body of the Lord, not only is the sign of the eucharistic banquet made more clearly evident, but “clearer expression is given to the divine will by which the new and eternal Covenant is ratified in the Blood of the Lord” (General Instruction of the Roman Missal, No. 281). Given the significance behind receiving the Lord’s Precious Blood, along with his Sacred Body, why would we want to deprive ourselves of such a spiritual benefit. BC

Reflection Questions

v what does it mean to you to be in a covenant relationship with god? v Jesus christ says that those who partake of his body and blood have eternal life (John 6:54). how do you experience the beginnings of eternal life through the sacrament of the holy eucharist? v the shedding of christ’s blood atones for our sins. what does this mean to you personally?

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