The Eucharist is the mystery of the most radical and total surrender we can imagine. We have the Eucharist because Christ wanted to offer himself –totally- for us. Let us not imagine this saving mystery from a physical perspective, as if the more blood were to be offered, the more guaranteed the redemption. It is not so. The redemption in Christ is like love: unlimited, unmeasured, without frontiers. We human beings are growing up, learning to give of ourselves, “rehearsing” generosity until it becomes part of us, little by little.
But it is not so in God; for him there is no time, no place or partition. All our past, present and future is one totality in God. The whole of eternity. His love is a total love without barriers or grades. It is once for all to the extreme level. Biblically, for a Hebrew, blood symbolizes life, force and dynamism. If we shed more blood, we die; we slowly become paler and lose strength. If you have observed in a sick person the effects of a blood transfusion you can well understand what we are speaking about. To receive blood is to receive life. So it is with Christ who gave his blood to the last drop, because he kept nothing for himself.
But the surrender of Christ – and each Eucharist- will be futile if there wouldn´t be a community to receive it and make it into a present reality, “Do this in remembrance of me”. From then till today we are hearing this invitation in our heart, “Do this in remembrance of me”. All of us Christians are a priestly people by our baptism (Canon Law 1322 tells us) and in Christ we are called to offer ourselves to the Father with Him, with his life and death, with his blood.
How do I live the Eucharist? How does the offering of Christ we celebrate and relive, affect the offering of myself and my radical availability?