Savoring the Meal

It’s always when we look back, reflect on events, that we see the importance. When I look back on my last meal with my mom, (we simply had a cup of beef broth because it was all she felt up to eating), I see and feel the importance of it. Had I known that by the next evening, I’d never have a meal with her again, I would have 

savored it more, 

sat a while longer, 

simply paid more attention. 

The disciples must have understood the meal described in Luke 22, the meal we celebrate tonight at Maundy (Commandment) Thursday worship services, more by the next evening as well. Such an intimate meal for Jesus and his friends and “for many.” This intimate meal to be savored by us each week giving us forgiveness, life and strength to follow Christ and share God’s love with everyone. A celebration of our Savior’s life, death and resurrection. The most needed and most important meal of our week, our life. May we “eat of this bread and drink of this cup as often as it is offered and invite others to this table. 

Luke 22 NRSV 
7 Then came the day of Unleavened Bread, on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed.  8 So Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover meal for us that we may eat it.”  9 They asked him, “Where do you want us to make preparations for it?”  10 “Listen,” he said to them, “when you have entered the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you; follow him into the house he enters  11 and say to the owner of the house, ‘The teacher asks you, “Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?”’  12 He will show you a large room upstairs, already furnished. Make preparations for us there.”  13 So they went and found everything as he had told them; and they prepared the Passover meal.14 When the hour came, he took his place at the table, and the apostles with him.  15 He said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer;  16 for I tell you, I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.”  17 Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves;  18 for I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”  19 Then he took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”  20 And he did the same with the cup after supper, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.”