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- An Introduction to Sunday's Scripture Readings - June 22, 2025
“This Is My Body That Is For You. Do This In Remembrance Of Me”
This Sunday, we celebrate the everlasting gift Jesus gave to us at the Last Supper so that He could physically dwell within us. Our readings this Sunday offer two events that prefigure the Holy Eucharist - one Old Testament (Melchizedek) and one New Testament (the feeding of the five thousand). Also, our Epistle reading by St. Paul, is the earliest written account of the institution of the Holy Eucharist at the Last Supper.
Our first reading is from the Book of Genesis (Gn 14:18-20). It is an account of Abram’s successful battle with four kings in order to rescue his nephew Lot from captivity. To celebrate the success, Melchizedek, the priest / king of Salem (later to become Jerusalem) offered a sacrifice of bread and wine. Melchizedek is seen as a prefiguring of Christ and the Eucharist. You may have heard the term, “You are a priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek.”
In our Epistle reading of St. Paul (1 Corinthians 11:23-26), we hear the first recorded account of the institution of the Holy Eucharist by Jesus at the Last Supper. Saint Paul describes for us the words Jesus used and how the practice of the Eucharistic meal has been handed on to us. This was Jesus’ gift of Himself to us, to ensure that He would always be really and substantially present to us—in His body, blood, soul and divinity. These very words are often heard in the sacrifice of the Mass.
In our Gospel reading (Luke 9:11B-17), we hear St. Luke’s account of the feeding of the five thousand. Luke tells us of Jesus’ compassion and love for the people. In these words of Jesus, we hear another prefiguring of the Holy Eucharist, “looking up to heaven, He said the blessing over them, broke them, and gave them to the disciples to set before the crowd. They all ate and were satisfied.”
The Body and Blood, Soul and Divinity of Christ in the Eucharist, like any blessing, can be taken for granted and even at times, seem routine. How often do we ponder the awesome gift and blessing there is in this Communion with God? How often do we give thought to the real, true presence of Jesus entering into and nourishing our bodies and our souls? Today’s readings and liturgy should give us a reminder to always follow Jesus’ command: “Do this in remembrance of me”.