Day 44

Today’s Picture: The Last Supper by John Bateson-Hill

The Last Supper

Luke sets the Last Supper as the Passover meal. This combination of spiritual and family event is uncommon in Christian circles, but for Jews this great feast is celebrated in each family with special parts for the mother, father and smallest child who can understand. Imagine Christmas Dinner unites with Midnight Mass.
There are some strange details in the Scripture below; a man carrying a water jug would be strange as it was considered woman’s work in Jesus’ day. Then Jesus takes the bread which is significant in the Passover service and breaks it as his body.
Then the wine, after the meal. This again is significant.
The last toast after the meal was to Elijah and looked to the coming of the Messiah.
The wine being the lifeblood or spirit of Jesus.
The apostles are called to take into themselves the totality of Jesus, body and spirit.
The call to “do this in memory of me” is carried out today in most Christian churches.

Today’s Prayer

Preparation: Begin by stilling, then dedicating the time of prayer to God and asking God that all you think, feel and imagine are for the glory of God. 

Gift:  Ask for what you desire. 
Suggestion: You may want to receive the Spirit of Jesus as the Apostles did.

Setting: You may like to imagine you are one of the Apostles or even Jesus.

Luke 22:7-22 HCSB

 Then the Day of Unleavened Bread came when the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. 
Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover meal for us,
so we can eat it.”
 “Where do You want us to prepare it?” they asked Him.
 “Listen,” He said to them, “when you’ve entered the city,
a man carrying a water jug will meet you. Follow him into the house he enters.
Tell the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher asks you,
“Where is the guest room where I can eat the Passover with My disciples?”’ 
Then he will show you a large, furnished room upstairs. 
Make the preparations there.”

So they went and found it just as He had told them, and they prepared the Passover.
When the hour came, He reclined at the table, and the apostles with Him. 
Then He said to them, “I have fervently desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. 
For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” 
Then He took a cup, and after giving thanks, 
He said, “Take this and share it among yourselves. 
For I tell you, from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”
 And He took bread, gave thanks, broke it, gave it to them,
and said, “This is My body, which is given for you.
Do this in remembrance of Me.”
 In the same way He also took the cup after supper and said, 
“This cup is the new covenant established by My blood; it is shed for you. 
But look, the hand of the one betraying Me is at the table with Me! 
For the Son of Man will go away as it has been determined, 
but woe to that man by whom He is betrayed!”

Conversation: Talk to Jesus or one of the Apostles. What might you want to say?
How do you imagine they might reply to you?

Final Prayer: End with a formal prayer such as the Lord’s Prayer/Our Father.

Today’s Music

Today’s Music: One Bread, One Body, written by St Louis Jesuits, sung by Marilla Ness
Sacred Songs for Lent by Marilla Ness

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