First Reading - Ex 24:3-8
When Moses came to
the people and related all the
words and ordinances of the
Lord, they all answered with
one voice, “We will do everything that the Lord has told us.”
Moses then wrote down all the words of the Lord and, rising early the next day, he erected at the foot of the mountain an altar and twelve pillars for the twelve tribes of Israel. Then, having sent certain young men of the Israelites to offer holocausts and sacrifi ce young bulls as peace offerings to the Lord, Moses took half of the blood and put it in large bowls; the other half he splashed on the altar. Taking the book of the covenant, he read it aloud to the people, who answered, “All that the Lord has said, we will heed and do.” Then he took the blood and sprinkled it on the people, saying, “This is the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words of his.”
Moses then wrote down all the words of the Lord and, rising early the next day, he erected at the foot of the mountain an altar and twelve pillars for the twelve tribes of Israel. Then, having sent certain young men of the Israelites to offer holocausts and sacrifi ce young bulls as peace offerings to the Lord, Moses took half of the blood and put it in large bowls; the other half he splashed on the altar. Taking the book of the covenant, he read it aloud to the people, who answered, “All that the Lord has said, we will heed and do.” Then he took the blood and sprinkled it on the people, saying, “This is the blood of the covenant that the Lord has made with you in accordance with all these words of his.”
Responsorial Psalm - Ps 116
R –I will take the cup of salvation, and call on the name
of the Lord!
* How shall I make a return
to the Lord for all the good he
has done for me? The cup of
salvation I will take up, and I
will call upon the name of the
Lord. R.
* Precious in the eyes of the
Lord is the death of his faithful
ones. I am your servant, the son
of your handmaid; you have
loosed my bonds. R.
* To you will I offer sacrifi ce
of thanksgiving, and I will call
upon the name of the Lord.
My vows to the Lord I will
pay in the presence of all his
people. R.
Second Reading - Heb 9:11-15
Brothers and sisters:
When Christ came as
high priest of the good things
that have come to be, passing
through the greater and more
perfect tabernacle not made
by hands, that is, not belonging to this creation, he entered
once for all into the sanctuary,
not with the blood of goats and
calves but with his own blood,
thus obtaining eternal redemption.
For if the blood of goats
and bulls and the sprinkling
of a heifer’s ashes can sanctify those who are defiled so
that their flesh is cleansed, how
much more will the blood of
Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from dead works
to worship the living God!
For this reason he is mediator of a new covenant: since
a death has taken place for deliverance from transgressions
under the first covenant, those
who are called may receive the
promised eternal inheritance.
Sequence
Lo! The angel’s food is given
To the pilgrim who has striven;
See the children’s bread from
heaven,
Which on dogs may not be
spent.
Truth the ancient types fulfilling,
Isaac bound, a victim willing,
Paschal lamb, its lifeblood
spilling,
Manna to the fathers sent.
Very bread, good shepherd,
tend us,
Jesus, of your love befriend us,
You refresh us, you defend us,
Your eternal goodness send us
In the land of life to see.
You who all things can and know,
Who on earth such food
bestow,
Grant us with your saints,
though lowest,
Where the heav’nly feast you
show,
Fellow heirs and guests to be.
Amen! Alleluia!
Gospel Acclamation - Jn 6:51
Alleluia! Alleluia!
I am the living bread that
came down from heaven,
says the Lord.
Whoever
eats this bread will live for
ever.
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Gospel - Mk 14:12-16.22-26
On the first day of the Feast
of Unleavened Bread, when
they sacrificed the Passover
lamb, Jesus’ disciples said to
him, “Where do you want us
to go and prepare for you to eat
the Passover?” He sent two of
his disciples and said to them,
“Go into the city and a man
will meet you, carrying a jar of
water. Follow him. Wherever
he enters, say to the master of
the house, ‘The Teacher says,
“Where is my guest room where
I may eat the Passover with my
disciples?” ’ Then he will show
you a large upper room furnished and ready. Make the
preparations for us there.”
The disciples then went
off, entered the city, and found
it just as he had told them; and
they prepared the Passover.
While they were eating,
Jesus took bread, said the
blessing, broke it, gave it to
them, and said, “Take it; this
is my body.” Then he took a
cup, gave thanks, and gave it
to them, and they all drank
from it. He said to them, “This
is my blood of the covenant,
which will be shed for many.
Amen, I say to you, I shall
not drink again the fruit of
the vine until the day when I
drink it new in the Kingdom
of God.”
Then, after singing a
hymn, they went out to the
Mount of Olives.
