MAUNDY THURSDAY THOUGHTS

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‘The Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, ‘This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’ In the same way he took the cup also, after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.’

Let’s look at the context. It is a Passover meal, that meal which had been celebrated annually by the Jewish people since the time of the Exodus. It was a very concrete reminder of God’s faithfulness, of his saving power, of his works of might and wonder in freeing Israel from slavery in Egypt. Of how he had listened to their cries and led them to freedom, of how he had remained faithful to the promises made to Abraham. and to Isaac and to Jacob.

It was a family meal, to be celebrated amongst those most dear. Here it is celebrated by Jesus’ closest disciples, by those who had walked with him over the past three years along the dusty roads of Galilee.

It reminds us of other meals at which Jesus was present. Right at the start of his ministry, for instance, when he went home with Simon Peter, cured his mother-in-law who then served them. Later he joined the tax-collector Levi at a feast given in his honour. And just a few days earlier, at Bethany when he was anointed with expensive perfume by Mary. Much of his ministry took place round the supper table. This vividly illustrates how God feeds us, how he regards our physicality, our need for material things as integral to what it means to be human.

Bread and wine had been focal points for teaching during Jesus’ ministry. Remember the feeding of the five thousand and of the four thousand. There Jesus took bread, broke it and distributed it. In John’s gospel he talks of himself as the bread of life, as the one who feeds our deepest hunger. So here, he takes a loaf of unleavened bread, bread at its most simple, cooked without leaven because there was no time to let bread rise before the Passover took place. It’s the bread of refugees, of those fleeing for their lives, of those with no place to lay their heads. It’s this bread that he takes, blesses and names his body. And he breaks it, just as his own body will be broken by the crucifixion. And he gives it to his disciples, just as he will give himself on the cross.

Then there’s the cup. Remember how, at the Wedding at Cana, right at the start of his ministry, he turned water into wine, and not just any wine, wine in abundance and of the very best quality. He had spoken of himself as the true vine. Here a simple cup of wine is put to powerful use. It is poured out for his disciples as he will pour himself out, at Gethsemane, in front of the Sanhedrin, in front of Pilate and on the cross. Poured out for love. He tells us that it is his blood, the blood of the covenant, locating us firmly in God’s saving work, starting with his promises to Abraham, continuing with the liberation at the Exodus, and here the ultimate liberation from sin, the pouring out of the blood of God’s own son.

The Gospel reading from John links our participation in the Eucharist with our love and service for each other. Jesus took upon himself the role of a slave to wash the disciples’ feet. He identified himself with the Passover lamb, sacrificed to bring forgiveness to others, so he humbled himself to accept death on the cross, as the sacrifice for humanity.

Throughout Lent we have declared our faith in words taken from the Letter to the Philippians: ‘Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death – even death on a cross’. This is the ultimate moment of humble obedience, the peak of his ministry.

And he asks of us that we follow his example and love each other as he has loved us. This is the true mark of discipleship, loving service which doesn’t stand on its dignity, which is prepared to be as humble and as menial and as sacrificial as is necessary. This is the pattern we are called to follow

The Eucharist, this bread and this wine which we will take and eat, take and drink this evening, is the food for that journey of loving service. Jesus Christ has provided us with a sacred and mysterious meal to strengthen us on our Christian pilgrimage. To us, Christ is truly present in broken bread and wine outpoured. It is a simple meal with infinite and mysterious impact.

And on this night, of all nights, the Eucharist has a particular poignancy about it. Jesus gives us bread and wine to be his body and his blood in the full knowledge that but a short time later he would be betrayed by one of his closest companions and given over to those who were to crucify him. So, we take this food for our journey in thankfulness for his life and for his death. In thankfulness for the sacrificial love of God who came to live among us and die for us.

We are fed at this table so that we can feed the hungry, we have been set free by Christ’s sacrifice so that we can set others free, we receive so that we can give, we hear so that we can proclaim. Amen.
 

Penny Sayer
St John the Evangelist, Pevensey Rd, St Leonards on Sea