99. The Last Supper itself is the act of foundation of the Church.

The Last Supper itself is the act of foundation of the Church.

YOUCAT Catechism + Catechism of the Catholic Church Lesson 99

Ave Maria series

99  What happened at the Last Supper?

Jesus washed the feet of his apostles on the evening before his death; he instituted the Eucharist and founded the priesthood of the New Covenant.  [610-611]

The Last Supper,  a late 1490s mural painting by Leonardo da Vinci, is a depiction of Jesus and his twelve apostles in the upper room on the eve of his crucifixion. …..99

Jesus showed his consummate love in three ways: He washed his disciples’ feet and showed that he is among us as one who serves (compare Luke 22:27).  He anticipated his redeeming Passion by speaking these words over the gifts of bread and wine: “This is my body which is given for you” (Luke 22:19ff).  In this way he instituted the Holy Eucharist.  When Jesus commanded the Apostles, “Do this in remembrance of me” (1 Corinthians 11:24b), he made them priests of the New Covenant.  208-223

“In a certain sense we can say that the Last Supper itself is the act of foundation of the Church, because he gives himself and thus creates a new community, a community united in communion with himself.”  Pope Benedict XVI, March 15, 2006

[610-611]

At the Last Supper Jesus anticipated the free offering of his life

610 Jesus gave the supreme expression of his free offering of himself at the meal shared with the twelve Apostles "on the night he was betrayed" (Roman Missal, EP 111; compare Matthew 26:20; 1 Corinthians 11:23).⁴²⁹ On the eve of his Passion, while still free, Jesus transformed this Last Supper with the apostles into the memorial of his voluntary offering to the Father for the salvation of men: "This is my body which is given for you." "This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins (Luke 22:19; Matthew 26:28; compare 1 Corinthians 5:7)."⁴³⁰ —Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition

611 The Eucharist that Christ institutes at that moment will be the memorial of his sacrifice (1 Corinthians 11:25).⁴³¹ Jesus includes the apostles in his own offering and bids them perpetuate it (compare Luke 22:19).⁴³²  By doing so, the Lord institutes his apostles as priests of the New Covenant: "For their sakes I sanctify myself, so that they also may be sanctified in truth (John 17:19; compare Council of Trent: Denzinger-Schönmetzer 1752; 1764)."⁴³³ --CCC