Daily Meditation: Thursday, March 28, 2002

When the priest consecrates the host and cup during mass he …

03/28/2002

When the priest consecrates the host and cup during mass he is repeating the very solemn moment of the last supper Jesus took with his disciples, in which he took the bread, gave thanks and gave it to them with the words: ""This is my body that is for you."" He then took the cup, and after giving thanks, he gave it to them and said: ""This cup is the new covenant in my blood... Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life."" If we are to understand the meaning of these words we must understand that the bread and the wine - made from wheat and grapes - represent the masculine and the feminine principle, which lie at the origin of creation. And the bread that becomes the flesh of Christ and the wine that becomes his blood are solar symbols. In the cosmic plane, the flesh and the blood of Christ are represented by the light and heat of the sun, which create life. In the spiritual plane, the flesh and the blood of Christ are wisdom and love. So, what Jesus meant was this: 'Those who eat my flesh - wisdom - and drink my blood - love - have eternal life'.