March 30: The Lord's Supper
♫ Music:
Monday, March 30
Scripture: Luke 22:14-20
And when the hour came, he reclined at table, and the apostles with him. And he said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he said, “Take this, and divide it among yourselves. For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” And he took 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.” And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.
THE LORD’S SUPPER
As pilgrims on a Lenten journey we know that darkness will soon descend on the events we are following. When they do, we know our meditations will quickly plunge into the deepest, most wrenching stage of our pilgrimage. That is just around the corner, we know it. In the back of our minds we resist the yawning tunnel of the encroaching dread we must pass through before Resurrection Sunday. We’re not going to descend into that blackness today—that’s for tomorrow and the days ahead. Today, we pause and steady ourselves before we step over the edge, by sitting with Jesus at his Passover table.
Dali’s Sacrament of the Last Supper is beautiful in its serenity. Just below the vanishing line in the center of the painting are Jesus’ loving eyes, the exact spot where our eyes are naturally drawn. Jesus’ left hand is making a self-referential, self-explaining gesture as his fingers curl toward his chest and heart. This is a gesture we’ve made thousands of times ourselves, and comfortably recognize it in our friends and family members when they tell stories around the kitchen table. With his right hand Jesus is pointing towards the heavens. Try this gesture yourself; see how familiar it feels.
Now look at the disciples’ posture: every head is bowed, reverent, and peaceful. All are listening to Jesus’ comforting voice. I suspect the words were perplexing. But I have no doubt the voice was reassuring, and that helped the disciples to hold onto the words until they could fully understand their meaning. Remember me . . . my body broken . . . my blood poured out . . . a new covenant.
We know the story, so we know the serenity in Dali’s scene is about to end. In real time Jesus knew it too. This was the tranquility before the whirlwind came crashing in. It was Jesus’ moment of opportunity to give his disciples—and the communities who would follow him down through history—a practice that could sustain them for the journey of faith. It would give them an occasion to refocus, renew their strength through remembrance, and provide a place to calm the storm. But what was essential? What did Jesus’ followers have to remember about him above all else?
Jesus gave us the rite we needed. It’s very simple, yet deeply profound. It’s a twist on the Passover ritual that he joyously anticipated commemorating with his disciples. It is bread, broken, that reminds us of his broken body. We eat a morsel, and as we receive it—smell it, chew it, swallow it—we remember Jesus. It’s a tactile act that’s soaked in meaning, and we are moved. It is a sip of wine poured from a cup. We remember what we need in that moment too, his blood shed for us. We look at the others doing the same, and we feel our brotherhood and sisterhood in Christ. We are nourished by our eating, drinking, remembering, the Word, the Holy Spirit, and the fellowship of the saints.
Holy communion is a gift from Jesus’ hand. Through it we remember him, and when we get up from the communion table we are ready to go forth and be His people.
PRAYER
Thank you Jesus for knowing that we would need Holy Communion.
Thank you for lovingly providing us with it.
Thank you for meeting us through it.
Amen.
Chris Elisara, Executive Director, Creation Care Study Program
The Sacrament of the Last Supper
Salvador Dalí
1955
National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C.
Oil on canvas
About the Artist & Art
Salvador Dalí (1904 – 1989) was one of the most prominent painters of Surrealism. He was born in Figueres, Spain, and studied at the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando in Madrid. Dalí was friends with many other artists, poets, writers, and scientists. Although he was influenced by both Cubism and Dadaism, the Renaissance masters influenced his detailed figurative works the most. Throughout his life Dalí lived in many different places across Spain and the USA. He enjoyed great success worldwide in many different media and art forms. He became a devout Catholic after World War II. The Sacrament of the Last Supper is a striking example of his post-WWII work, in which he combined classic Christian themes and imagery with surrealist techniques and science. His fascination with the advances of the Atomic Age led him to refer to works like The Sacrament of the Last Supper as “Nuclear Mysticism.”
About the Music
The Last Supper lyrics
Now on the first day of the unleavened bread, the disciples came to Jesus and said: “Where dost Thou want us to prepare for Thee to eat the Passover?”
But Jesus said: “Go into the city to a certain man, and say to Him: the Master says, My time is near at hand; at thy house I am keeping the Passover with My disciples.”
And the disciples did as Jesus bade them, and prepared the Passover. Now when the evening arrived, He reclined at the table with the twelve disciples. And while they were eating He said: “Amen. I say to you, one of you will betray Me.”
And being very much saddened they began to say: Is it I, Lord? But he answered and said: “He who dips his hand into the dish with Me, he will betray Me. The Son of Man indeed goes this way, as it is written of Him; but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed. It were better for that man if had not been born.”
And Judas who betrayed him answered and said: “Is it I, Rabbi?” He said to him: “Thou has said it.”
And while they were at supper Jesus took bread and blessed and broke, and gave it to His disciples, and said: “Take and eat: this is My Body.”
And taking a cup, He gave thanks and gave it to them, saying: “All of you drink of this; for this is My Blood of the New Covenant, which is being shed for many unto the forgiveness of sins. But I say to you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I shall drink it new with you in the Kingdom of My Father.”
Receive me today, O Son of God,
As a partaker of Thy Mystic Feast;
For I will not speak of the Mystery to Thine enemies;
I will not kiss Thee as did Judas,
But as the thief I will confess Thee.
Lord, remember me
When Thou comest into Thy Kingdom.
Alleluia. Glory to Thee, O Lord, Glory to Thee.
About the Composer & Musicians
Ivan Moody (b. 1964) is an English composer and conductor. He studied music and theology at the Universities of London, York and Joensuu (Finland), and was a private student of Sir John Travener. His music has been performed worldwide as well as recorded on major classical labels. His compositions are influenced by ancient traditions of the Christian Church, which he transforms into new music.
http://www.ivanmoody.co.uk/
Cappella Amsterdam is a sixteen-member Dutch choir that began in 1970. They have been recognized for their work with several awards, including a Grammy for their recording of Frank Martin’s Golgotha.
http://www.cappellaamsterdam.com/