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.

Holy Communion--For the Forgiveness of Sins--Part 2

Week 6 Lenten Devotions

Lent Day 35: Monday in Holy Week, March 29

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

Passage for the Day: 1 Corinthians 11:27

²⁷ Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be answerable for the body and blood of the Lord.

Reflection:

On this Monday in Holy Week, I ponder, what does it mean to eat the bread or drink the cup in an “unworthy manner”? Does it mean that I have to have been on good behavior before I can come to the Table? Does it mean sinners aren’t welcome at the Table?

I don’t believe that only those who are sin-free (as if any of us could be sin-free), can come to the Table. Otherwise, why would Matthew have recorded Jesus as saying that eating the bread and drinking the cup are for forgiveness of sins. We wouldn’t need forgiveness if we came to the Table sin-free. I come to the Table as a sinner, asking for forgiveness.

I think coming to the Table in an “unworthy manner” is to come in a way that rejects or belittles the gift that Jesus has given us. I would imagine that if I would come to the Table thinking this is a “bunch of baloney” or something worse, that would be coming in an “unworthy manner”. I would also imagine that denying someone else a place at the Table because of rules that I have made up or judgments that I have made about his or her character would also be “unworthy”. I like to think of coming to the Table as Luther did, as “one beggar telling another where to get bread.”

Prayer Themes:

Thank God for the forgiveness of sins that comes from “coming to the Table”. Pray that I might come in a way that is humble, respectful and in remembrance of Jesus’ gift. Pray that in this Holy Week, I might be moved by Jesus’ gift of himself. Pray for those who struggle with feeling of unworthiness. Pray for those who reject God’s wonderful gift of Holy Communion.

Holy Communion--In remembrance of Jesus

Week 6 Lenten Devotions

Lent Day 34: Saturday March 27

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

Passage for the Day: 1 Corinthians 11:23-26

²³ For I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took a loaf of bread, ²⁴ 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.” ²⁵ 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.” ²⁶ For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

Reflection:

This passage is the only time that St. Paul records a verbal interaction between Jesus and his disciples in one of his letters. The Corinthians had lapsed into some “un-Christian behaviors” during their Communion meals and Paul was reminding them of the significance of Jesus’ words. Because Paul’s letter to the Corinthians was most likely written before even Mark’s Gospel, this is the earliest written account recording Jesus’ interactions with his disciples at the time of their last meal together. This event, together with Jesus’ commands, is the basis for our celebration of Holy Communion. Paul emphasizes Jesus’ words: This is my body…This cup is…my blood. When we eat the bread and drink the cup, Jesus is present in our midst.

Neither Matthew nor Mark’s accounts has Jesus telling the disciples to “do this in remembrance of me.” In addition, neither of them records Jesus as saying that when you eat and drink, “you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.” When we come together to celebrate Holy Communion, not only is Jesus truly present with us, but the eating and drinking function as an active Memorial to him. We remember all that Jesus has done for us. Paul emphasizes the communion meal as a means for communicating or proclaiming the Good News that Jesus died for you.

Prayer Themes:

Thank God for the opportunity to share in the bread and wine of communion. Thank God for the presence of Christ in our midst and our memories of Jesus’ death for us. Pray that in communion, I am able to be thankful and accepting of all that Jesus has done for me. Pray for those who struggle about participating in the Communion Meal. Pray for all those who are alienated from the Christian Communion.

Holy Communion--For the Forgiveness of Sins

Week 6 Lenten Devotions

Lent Day 32: Thursday March 25

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

Passage for the Day: Matthew 26:26-28

²⁶ While they were eating, Jesus took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it he broke it, gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” ²⁷ Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you; ²⁸ for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.

Reflection:

As we near the end of Lent and approach Holy Week, this passage takes on a special significance. Matthew records this event as occurring during the last meal that Jesus shares with his disciples before being condemned to die on the cross. The remembrance of this event, along with Jesus’ washing of the disciples’ feet are at the heart of the celebration of the Maundy Thursday service in my faith tradition. Jesus shares a meal—the simple unleavened bread and wine of a Passover celebration with the disciples. In the course of blessing the meal, Jesus tells the disciples that the bread and wine are his body and blood. The wine is the blood of the covenant that God makes with God’s people, promising forgiveness of sins.

Matthew uses many of the same words to record this scene, as does Mark. Matthew likely had access to Mark’s Gospel when he was writing his own. However, unlike Mark, Matthew places an emphasis on the forgiveness of sins which is promised in Jesus’ blood.

Each time we gather for Holy Communion, Christ is with us, in and under the bread and wine. In Christ’s presence, forgiveness of sins is granted. When we gather, we remember Christ and the covenant that God made with Jesus’ blood. When we gather and celebrate Holy Communion together, God forgives our sins.

Prayer Themes:

Thank God for the forgiveness of sins given to us in Jesus’ name. Thank God for the opportunities to gather and celebrate Holy Communion together. Pray that I might remember what Jesus has sacrificed for me. Pray for those who do not yet know the joy of participating in Holy Communion. Pray for those who are preparing for to receive Communion for the first time.

Holy Communion--Bread for the Journey

Week 6 Lenten Devotions

Lent Day 31: Wednesday March 24

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

Today we enter the 6^th week of Lent—a week that includes Palm/Passion Sunday and the beginning of Holy Week. As we near the end of our Lenten journey, we will spend this week reflecting on Christ’s gift of Holy Communion.

Passage for the Day: Mark 14:22-25

²² While they were eating, he took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it he broke it, gave it to them, and said, “Take; this is my body.” ²³ Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them, and all of them drank from it. ²⁴ He said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. ²⁵ Truly I tell you, I will never again drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”

Reflection:

Mark, which is Gospel most likely written earliest, records this account of Jesus sharing a last meal with his disciples before being condemned to death on the cross. After blessing the bread and wine and giving thanks for them, he tells the disciples that the bread and wine are his body and blood. In his words, Jesus also reminds them that this is his last meal. “I will never again drink…until I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”

As Christians, every time we gather around the table for Holy Communion, we remember and celebrate Jesus’ words. “This is my body…this is my blood, poured out for many.” Jesus reminds us that he has given his life for the “many”—that includes all of us! We live into the reality of Jesus’ presence with us when we gather at the table, in his name, recounting the words he spoke for us.

The bread that Jesus tells us to take is bread that is Jesus, himself—bread that strengthens us for the journey that each of us takes through life and beyond. The wine we are given to drink is the blood that binds us in a loving covenant with God—a covenant that lasts through life into death.

Prayer Themes:

Thank God for the gift of Jesus in the bread and the wine when we gather in his name. Thank God for both the bread that strengthens me and the blood that binds me to God. Pray that I might hear Jesus’ words anew each time we gather in his name. Pray for those who are preparing to participate in Holy Communion for the first time.