Holy Thursday of the Lord’s Supper
April 1, 2021
Daily Reading from the USCCB: Exodus 12:1-8, 11-14
This is a narrative of remembrance. It retells the beginning of the Israelites’ escape from Egypt–the proclamation of their religious identity. Every year God’s people would recall these events. Jesus did with his disciples at their last supper together.
Jesus used this context to institute the gift of his body and blood to his disciples–present and future. The Eucharist imprints religious identity on those who share in it, as participation in the exodus conferred religious identity on the people who followed Moses out of Egypt.
It’s important for us to participate in the celebration of Jesus’ Last Supper, both in its annual liturgical commemoration and in its regular celebrations throughout the year. Otherwise we run the risk of forgetting who we are.
