At the Last Supper, Jesus' instructions to the disci-ples were simple: take and eat, take and drink. His teaching about the meaning of the Eucharist was equal-ly simple: "This is my body; this is my blood."

He linked the sacrament to His death: my body which will be given up for you, my blood which will be poured out for you. He left it at that: no in-depth theo-logical discussion, no further explanation. All is left to faith, and the simple acts of taking, eating and drinking.

Throughout the ages, the Church has reflected on the mystery of the Eucharist, and great theologians have shown us how we might gain some insight into the mys-tery, while great saints have encouraged us to have a great devotion to Jesus, our Eucharistic Lord. All this reflection is very important, for faith seeks understand-ing. In the end, however, the most important thing is to obey the command of the Lord: "Take and eat, take and drink," and take to heart his affirmations, "This is my body, this is my blood." This act of obedience initiates us into the mystery of faith, for constant obedience to the command of Jesus steadily increases our faith.