Gospel text (Mark 14,12-16.22-26): On the first day of the
Festival of Unleavened Bread, the day when the Passover Lamb was killed, the
disciples asked to Jesus, «Where would you have us go to prepare the Passover
meal for you?». So Jesus sent two of his disciples with these instructions, «Go
into the city and there a man will come to you carrying a jar of water. Follow
him to the house he enters and say to the owner, ‘The Master says: Where is the
room where I may eat the Passover meal with my disciples?’ Then he will show
you a large room upstairs, already arranged and furnished. There you will
prepare for us». The disciples went off. When they reached the city, they found
everything just as Jesus had told them; and they prepared the Passover meal.
While they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. And he said, «Take this, it is my body». Then He took a cup and after he had given thanks, passed it to them and they all drank from it. And he said, «This is my blood, the blood of the Covenant, which is to be poured out for many. Truly, I say to you, I will not taste the fruit of the vine again until the day I drink the new wine in the kingdom of God».
While they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. And he said, «Take this, it is my body». Then He took a cup and after he had given thanks, passed it to them and they all drank from it. And he said, «This is my blood, the blood of the Covenant, which is to be poured out for many. Truly, I say to you, I will not taste the fruit of the vine again until the day I drink the new wine in the kingdom of God».
After singing psalms of
praise, they went out to the Hill of Olives.
