Then Jesus took the bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which will be given for you; do this in memory of me.”
And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which will be shed for you.” (LK 22:19-20)
The family member presiding at Passover would take the bread and say, “This is the bread of affliction which our ancestors had to eat as they came out of Egypt.” But Jesus, instead of identifying it as the bread of affliction, says, “This is my body which will be given for you.”
Jesus also gives new meaning to the wine. It becomes his blood-of-the-covenant, and now seals a bond between God and the human race.
I’m familiar with “covenant” — that’s what marriage vows are. I can catch the implications of the eucharistic covenant if I picture God speaking vows to me:
“I, God, take you, [your name], to be my own, to have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse [this includes sin], for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health… and when you die, my Son will walk with you through death and bring you safely home, to peace and joy and life,,, forever.”
Remember. A covenant involves both parties. We have to speak our part.
“I, [your name], take you, God, to be my own…”