Today is a holy day for many Christians throughout the world, a day known as Maundy Thursday. Strange name, yes. It comes from Jesus' mandate to the disciples as they celebrated the Passover, His command to love one another as He has loved His disciples. That mandate, to serve one another, is the word of Jesus to all people who bear His name and who are His own.
In the context of that Passover meal, Jesus made it evident just how great His love is for those who follow Him. The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke tell us about Jesus taking the piece of bread which would be broken, and as He broke it, He gave it to the disciples, telling them to eat it because it was His own body, which would be broken for the forgiveness of their sins. And then, in the same way, He took the cup that was to be drank after the meal, and as He passed it to them, He told them all to drink if, for it was His blood of the new covenant, which was to be shed on the cross for the forgiveness of all their sins.
This brings to my mind the role that love and food play in our lives. How often do we get together for a meal with those whom we love or whom we enjoy being around? There is just something about food and love that goes well together. Some of our most memorable times with friends or family probably have taken place in the context of a meal. And who gets together without having some kind of food available?
In the context of that Passover meal, Jesus showed how food and love really tie together in God's eyes. We cannot consume the bread of the meal without the connection to the body of Jesus, which was broken for our forgiveness. We cannot drink the wine of the cup without the connection to the blood of Jesus, shed for our forgiveness. Jesus shows His true love for us by giving us a meal that contains the very things that were broken and shed for our forgiveness.
Love and food go well together. But in the particular meal of the Sacrament that Christians celebrate, the love of God, the forgiveness of Jesus, and food truly come together in a spectacular, yet unexplainable way. When we receive the holy meal of the Sacrament, we receive Christ's love, Christ's forgiveness, and His own body and blood. Love and food come together, and in doing so, form a miraculous meal which is given for us.
In the context of that Passover meal, Jesus made it evident just how great His love is for those who follow Him. The Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke tell us about Jesus taking the piece of bread which would be broken, and as He broke it, He gave it to the disciples, telling them to eat it because it was His own body, which would be broken for the forgiveness of their sins. And then, in the same way, He took the cup that was to be drank after the meal, and as He passed it to them, He told them all to drink if, for it was His blood of the new covenant, which was to be shed on the cross for the forgiveness of all their sins.
This brings to my mind the role that love and food play in our lives. How often do we get together for a meal with those whom we love or whom we enjoy being around? There is just something about food and love that goes well together. Some of our most memorable times with friends or family probably have taken place in the context of a meal. And who gets together without having some kind of food available?
In the context of that Passover meal, Jesus showed how food and love really tie together in God's eyes. We cannot consume the bread of the meal without the connection to the body of Jesus, which was broken for our forgiveness. We cannot drink the wine of the cup without the connection to the blood of Jesus, shed for our forgiveness. Jesus shows His true love for us by giving us a meal that contains the very things that were broken and shed for our forgiveness.
Love and food go well together. But in the particular meal of the Sacrament that Christians celebrate, the love of God, the forgiveness of Jesus, and food truly come together in a spectacular, yet unexplainable way. When we receive the holy meal of the Sacrament, we receive Christ's love, Christ's forgiveness, and His own body and blood. Love and food come together, and in doing so, form a miraculous meal which is given for us.
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