Luminous Rosary Mystery
Institution Of The Eucharist
"I am the living bread that has come down from heaven.
If anyone eat of this bread he shall live forever."
-John 6:51-52
The Institution of the Eucharist is the greatest gift Jesus left you - a gift that will
help you lead a holy and peace filled life.
It is the final of the Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary.
and a very fitting conclusion to this new set of Rosary mysteries.
You may find that it is helpful to look at a picture of the apostles and Jesus Last Supper. Or
even listen to some music that will help you recall this blessed scene.
The following story will help your meditations on the Rosary as you keep it in
mind as you pray the Rosary prayers.
The fruit of this mystery is adoration.
"Satan entered into Judas" and he went to the chief priests to betray Jesus". -Luke 22:3
The chief priests were very pleased because they wanted to have Jesus put to death
but they couldn't find a quiet way to arrest Him.
They promised to pay Judas thirty pieces of silver and the betrayal was arranged.
The time for the Passover was drawing near. Jesus gave directions to the disciples
to go into Jerusalem where they would meet a man carrying a pitcher of water.
They were to follow the man and tell him that Jesus wanted a place to eat the
Passover meal with His twelve apostles.
Following Jesus' directions, they entered the city and found the man who in turn
led them to a room that was prepared for their meal.
During the meal Jesus said, "Amen I say to you, that one of you is about to betray me."
This really disturbed them all and they began asking "Is it I, Lord?"
Jesus said in response...
"He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, he shall
betray me...woe to that man by whom the Son of man shall be betrayed:
it were better for him, if that man had not been born."
Then Judas who had already committed to betraying Jesus asked, "Is it I, Rabbi?"
Jesus just responded, "Thou hast said it."
Then Jesus took bread then blessing it, He broke it and gave it to His disciples
and said, "Take ye, and eat. This is my body."
Then He took the chalice filled with wine and gave it to them saying...
"Drink ye all of this. For this is my blood of the new testament, which shall be
shed for many unto remission of sins."
After the meal they all went out to the Mount of Olives where Jesus entered His agony.
For an exact scriptural account you can read Mark 14:10-15, Matthew 26:19-30
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More Meditations
On
The Rosary Mystery
Institution Of The Eucharist...
Here are some additional thoughts to enhance your meditation on the Institution of the Eucharist. Another great
aid for meditations would be a wonderful little magazine called the Magnificat which not only
contains the daily readings and mass but also has meditations.
Return often to this page when you are praying this Luminous Mystery of the rosay - Institution of the Eucharist.
Make sure you bookmark this page so you can find it easily...
You can also contribute your own meditations on this Rosary mystery by going here...
Below are some meditations to think about as you pray...
"Do this for a commemoration of me" -Luke 22:19
At the Institution of the Eucharist Jesus intended that this sacrifice, the unbloody sacrifice of Calvary would be
continued in the Church for all time.
By the word sacrifice I mean, an offering of a victim by a priest to God alone.
The destruction of this victim in some way acknowledges that God is the creator of all things.
Jesus is the perfect victim.
For this reason, animal sacrifices are no longer needed in the New Law.
The Mass is this renewal and it is the same sacrifice as the sacrifice of the cross.
This is so for two reasons; there is but one victim and the same principal priest, Jesus.
"For we know that Christ, having risen from the dead, dies now no more, death shall
no longer have dominion over him." -Romans 6:9
The Mass is the way Jesus commanded that his death be remembered and celebrated.
But, the way the sacrifice is offered is different because on the cross Jesus
suffered and died physically while in the Mass Jesus experiences no physical
death or suffering.
This is so because Jesus cannot die again...
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Jesus is the principal priest in every Mass.
He offers His body and blood which were sacrificed on the cross to God the Father
through the words and actions of the priest.
During the Institution of the Eucharist, Jesus instituted two sacraments at this time...
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Holy Orders and
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Holy Communion
Holy Orders is the sacrament by which a man becomes a priest or bishop.
The first priests and bishops were the apostles and Jesus gave them the power
to change bread and wine into His body and blood at the Last Supper.
That is why this mystery is called the Institution of the Eucharist.
The Holy Eucharist is both a sacrament and an unbloody sacrifice.
Jesus is truly present body, blood, soul and divinity under the appearances of bread and wine.
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Appearance means the color, taste, weight, and shape of the bread and wine
remain the same even though the contents have changed into the body and blood of Jesus.
At Mass Jesus is offered and received.
"He who eats my flesh, and drinks my blood, abides in me and I in him." -John 6:57
Receiving Jesus in the Holy Eucharist will create an union between you and Jesus,
Who is the Source of all holiness and the Giver of graces.
The Eucharist is the greatest aid to a holy life and peace filled life.
Below you will find some quotes from the visions of Venerable Anne Catherine Emmerich.
These are just private revelations so take what you can from them.
I found them fascinating and worth sharing, considering that they were recorded 200
years before Pope John Paul II gave the Church the Luminous Mysteries, sometimes referred to
as the Mysteries of Light.
These are her recollections of her visions of the Last Supper [Institution of the Eucharist]
You can find the book these excerpts are taken from in our Catholic Rosary Shop.
The book is titled The Dolorous Passion.
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"I saw him [Jesus] becoming transparent, until he resembled a luminous shadow."
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"I seemed to see the Blessed Virgin receiving the Holy Sacrament in a spiritual manner."
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"His [Jesus] words came forth from his lips like fire and light."
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"A brilliant light came from him, his words were luminous, the bread entered the mouths of the
Apostles as a brilliant substance, and light seemed to penetrate and surround them all,
Judas alone remaining dark."
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"He [Jesus] appeared wholly transfigured, as it were transparent, and as though
entirely passing into what he was going to give his apostles."
During the Institution of the Eucharist,
when Jesus said the words
"This is My body,"
the entire substance of the
bread was changed into His body;
and when He said the words
"This is My blood,"
the entire substance of the wine was changed into His blood.
At the Last Supper [Institution of the Eucharist] after the substance of the bread and wine had changed into
Jesus body and blood, there remained only the appearances of bread and wine.
This was the first Mass.
"All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me." -Matthew 28:18
During the Institution of the Eucharist, Jesus changed bread and wine into His body
and blood by His almighty power.
Jesus gave His body and blood in the Institution of the Eucharist...
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as a memorial and a renewal of His death on the Cross
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for you to receive Him in Holy Communion
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because of His great love for all so that He could be present among us at the altar
and in the tabernacle where you can go to worship Him
"For, from the rising of the sun even to the going down, my name is great among the
Gentiles; and in every place there is sacrifice and there is offered to my name a
clean oblation." -Malachi 1:11
In the Mass, Jesus, through the priest, offers Himself to God in an unbloody manner.
This is the sacrifice of the New Law.
"Therefore whosoever shall eat this bread, or drink the chalice of the Lord unworthily,
shall be guilty of the body and of the blood of the Lord." 1 Corinthians 11:27
Missing Mass on Sundays or Holy Days and receiving Communion unworthily are serious sins.
"These things I have spoken to you, that in me you may have peace" -John 16:33
When received worthily, Holy Communion will make you closer to Jesus and increase
your love of neighbor.
It increases sanctifying grace and helps you avoid sin by lessening temptation to
do so and helps you practice the virtues.
Receiving Jesus in Holy Communion often, even daily is the surest way to bring
tranquility and peace to your life.
Prayer After Meditating Upon
The Institution
Of The Eucharist
Dear Lord Jesus, Thou art both true God and true Man. And yet, Thou humbled Thyself
to become a Man to suffer and die for my sins.
Before Thou didst suffer Thou gave thy body and blood, soul and divinity to us
in the Institution of the Eucharist.
I thank Thee for this most precious gift that allows me to partake in Thy divinity.
I am sorry for my many sins. I am especially sorry for the times I didn't give
Thee the reverence Thou deserves in this most holy of sacraments, the sacrament of the altar.
Forgive me for the times I was late or inattentive at Mass. Or didn't come visit
Thee in the Church where Thou lay hidden for love of me.
Never let indifference enter into my heart and teach me how to love and adore Thee as the angels do.
Amen.
Return to the fourth Luminous Mystery page - Transfiguration
Return to our Rosary Mysteries page
More meditations on the rosary mystery - Institution of the Eucharist here...
Catholic Mysteries Of The Rosary
Joyful Mysteries of the Rosary
The Joyful Mysteries are taken mostly from St. Luke's Gospel in the New Testament. They involve the joyful events of Jesus' childhood. The most joyful event in all of human history is the Incarnation or when God became man and dwelt among us read more...
Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary
What a gift the the Luminous Mysteries of the Rosary are. Meditating on these
Mysteries of Light bring even deeper understanding of the public life of Jesus.
They fill in the blanks between Jesus' childhood and His suffering and death on
the cross. Therefore read more...
Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary
The Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary remind you of how much Jesus
loves you. He suffered and died for you. "Greater love than this no
man hath, that a man lay down his life for his friends."
-John 15:13. You are loved by Jesus read more...
Glorious Mysteries of the Rosary
The Glorious Mysteries are the crown of Jesus' triumphs. How
exhilarating to know that Jesus is God and that He rose from the dead,
making you an heir to Heaven. Reminding yourself of these glorious
events as you pray the Rosary prayer will keep your faith alive and strong read more...
Return to our Meditations on the Rosary page
See how you can participate in this Year For Priests here...
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