We come to a deeper understanding of the gift of the Holy Eucharist when we see its origin at the Passover meal. Jesus gathered his disciples around him for the ritual meal which is still a part of Jewish piety. During the meal there is a ceremonial telling of the story of the first Passover. “When we were slaves in Egypt…” “God freed us from bondage..” The use of the first person serves as a vivid reminder that this is not simply a memory of something that happened in the long ago and far away. It is our story as well. Thus, the Eucharist is our way of personally participating in the saving events of Jesus life and death even over the gap of centuries.
