Holy Communion--A New Covenant

Lent Day 36: Tuesday in Holy Week, March 30

Theme for the Week: Holy Communion—Bread for the Journey

Passage for the Day: Luke 22:14-20

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.

Reflection:

On this Tuesday in Holy Week, I think and feel what it means for Jesus’ hour to come. Jesus eats this last Passover meal with his disciples before he suffers. As he sits at the Table, Jesus knows that he is going to suffer. In his humanness, his death on a cross will hurt more than words can describe. Jesus’ body and blood are given for you and for me.

The cup is the new covenant in Jesus’ blood. This is covenant is the fulfillment of the prophecy of the prophet Jeremiah (Jeremiah 31:31-34). “The days are surely coming when I will make new covenant with the house of Israel…I will put my law within them and write it on their hearts. I will be their God and they will be my people…I will forgive their iniquity and I will remember their sins no more.”

God has sent Jesus, who suffered and died for you and for me. In Jesus, God will forgive our iniquity and remember our sins no more. Thank you, Jesus!! Thank you, God!!

Prayer Themes:

Thank God for the new covenant. Thank God for remembering my sins no more! Pray that I might understand and feel the magnitude of the gift that God gave for me in Jesus’ death. Pray for those who still live under the burden of sin.