While they were eating, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, and said, “Take it; this is my body.”
Mark 14:22

It was customary for the leader to say a prayer of thanksgiving to God for providing the meal. It was also customary to break the bread from one loaf and pass it as a sign of fellowship and friendship among the people. But at the Last Supper Jesus does something radically different and breaks with tradition. He tells the apostles that the bread is his body, not that it represents his body but that it is body.

We believe that the bread really becomes Jesus’ body at every Mass.  The bread changes substance into Jesus’ body. And then by being nourished on Jesus’ body, we become like him as individuals and as a community of faith. You are what you eat.

Pray today for an appreciation of the Eucharist. Pray that every time you receive the Eucharist you will become more like Jesus.