A New Meal

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." 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. Luke 22:19-20 (The Message)

As I am writing this, my husband and I are anticipating going to a neighbor’s house for a simple get-together this evening. We will share fellowship and many stories, all over plates of delicious food. I don’t know what kind of food, but it will be good and there will be plenty of it. That is what we do here in America and in most other countries around the world. We don’t gather with family and friends unless there will be eating.

The same thing went on in Biblical times. The feast of Passover was just that – a feast. Actually, it sounds like it was a four-course meal and each course had its only special meaning.

When Jesus and his disciples were celebrating Passover, he instituted a new meal for them to observe. His very body and blood. They didn’t realize the significance of this until the next day, Good Friday, when their teacher, their friend was breathing his last on the cross. The meaning of simple bread and wine became something so much different then.

Lord Jesus, may we always remember you, not only when we partake of the Lord’s Supper, but when we eat any food, drink any beverage, don any clothing, or even when we breathe the air around us. You are with us everywhere in everything we do.

(From now until Easter, my Sunday blog will be taken from the book of Luke, looking at the last days to the last hours of Jesus’ life on this Earth. I pray that I can share something meaningful with you. This week's picture was taken at our going away party for Val just a year ago, before she left for 6 months in Kenya. She and Nick's girlfriend created a menu of East African foods. Umm.)