Choosing to follow Jesus and to live according to his teachings means opening up our hearts to something new.

In the Eucharist, we have both sacrifice and gift as his handing over of his body and blood—all that he is—at the Last Supper.

We must be willing to offer the fruit of our lives for the benefit of others, just as Jesus offered himself in the Eucharist and on the cross

Our Advent journey is one of lament and longing, a cry for that life which only God can give.

The Eucharist is an act of communion and we are brought into the life of Christ and the Church, as we are brought out of ourselves.

This mandate to love—symbolized in foot washing—shapes how we should talk about the gift of the Eucharist, just as it informs how we should celebrate our liturgies during these three days.