Scripture Reading(s)
Matthew 26:26-30
26:26 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.”
26:27 Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you;
26:28 for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.
26:29 I tell you, I will never again drink of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.”
26:30 When they had sung the hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
Reflections
This passage sets the stage for the first act of communion. It paints for us a picture as to why we choose to remember Christ in this way. Here Jesus is being represented symbolically and not literally. When we participate in communion we are to remember Him as being the ultimate sacrifice for our sin.
Many church’s have different ways of doing communion. Whether it is every week, twice a month or once a month remembering Christ’s death and resurrection is a crucial part of the Christian walk.
While this is done as a means to remember that the bread represents the body of Christ and the wine represents His blood, its deeper meaning is the price He paid to get there. Through His death, this act of remembrance becomes more meaningful. It stirs up in our hearts a need to repent of sin and examine our hearts.
One important lesson to learn is that we should always take the time to remember Christ’s sacrifice for us and have a thankful and repentant heart for the love Christ has for us.
There are many wonders in the scriptures; passages that leave the reader asking questions they might never have answered. In this passage I have always wondered, what hymn did they sing? How cool it would be to be able to sing that same hymn today. While this is a simple curiosity that does not affect Christian doctrine; there is another that has been a matter of debate and dialogue for centuries. How should Christians participate in the communion meal?
Should it be every week? Every month? Do we use bread or wafers? Should be we use grape juice or wine? Should the bread be dipped in the cup? Do we all need individual cups or do we all share one cup? The communion meal gets even more controversial once we bring in the debate on trans-substantiation. Is it the the actual body and blood of Jesus or just figuratively?
Allow me to offer a suggestion. I submit that Jesus would shake His head looking at how we argue about the minutia of the communion. Let us not worry about rules and regulations and instead focus on the amazing sacrifice Jesus made for us. Even as He knew He would soon be arrested, He still washed His disciple’s feet, broke bread with them, and had fellowship with them.
Let us prioritize our own selves around communing with others as Jesus did. Let’s also remember that Jesus called us to be servants as He was as He washed the disciple’s feet. The taking of the body and blood should always remind us to love and serve one-another. It should not be take in a social vacuum.
[Featured image designed by tattoo artist (guiltenginer), on deviantart.com]