Covenant

Luke 22:14-20 (The Message)

14-16 When it was time, he sat down, all the apostles with him, and said, "You've no idea how much I have looked forward to eating this Passover meal with you before I enter my time of suffering.

It's the last one I'll eat until we all eat it together in the kingdom of God."

17-18 Taking the cup, he blessed it, then said, "Take this and pass it among you. As for me, I'll not drink wine again until the kingdom of God arrives."

19 Taking bread, he blessed it, broke it, and gave it to them, saying, "This is my body, given for you. Eat it in my memory."

20 He did the same with the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant written in my blood, blood poured out for you.

Whenever I read this telling of the "last supper," the institution of the sacrament of Holy Communion, I always wonder about what memories this moment brought to the disciples' minds.

We humans have the ability to form associations in our minds, to be transported through space and time to past experiences...sometimes by smells, sights, voices, or people who touch others that remain stored deep in our memory banks.

At this meal, Jesus took the bread, blessed, broke and gave.

I have to wonder if his disciples didn't remember another time they saw him do these very same things in a ceremonial and miraculous way.

Thousands had gathered to receive, but there were only a few loaves and fish on offer.

Jesus took what was there, and blessed and broke and gave (and gave, and gave, and gave...).

I wonder if they remembered?

What they didn't know in that "upper room" moment was that Jesus was feeding more than a multitude of thousands with the bread and cup.

He was offering up himself. "This is my body." "This is my blood."

And since that time? Billions of humans have received the grace offered at that table.

What do we learn?

So much. We learn about Jesus' sacrificial love. We learn that every time we gather together in Jesus' name, the place and moment become holy. We learn that God's provision is equal to every need, and He gives in the most generous ways.

We learn to be thankful, and to remember. Most of all, if we let the full grace of this sacrificial and extraordinary meal into the deepest parts of who we are, we become a new creation.

Prayer: God our Father, we pray for trust and belief. We pray that you would show us signs of your abundant love. Help us to live in the expectation of Advent and to give thanks when you provide. Hold us in your grace.

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be. World without end. Amen.