Nothing will ever be the same again
Reading for Thursday April 13
Maundy Thursday for Christians, First Day of Passover for Jews.
Scripture reading Gospel of Mark chapter 14:12-25
The last day has ended. Tomorrow began, like all Jewish tomorrows do, at sundown. Jesus has eaten the Pass-over meal with his disciples. He had demonstrated the up-side down nature of the Kingdom of God by washing the soiled feet of the disciples, even while he reminded them that he is their leader and Lord. I think of him with sorrow tonight, no one ever loved like Jesus, he had been patient with these 11 people who even now did not understand the spiritual nature of religious events. He knows what terror and bewilderment will seize them when he is arrested and crucified. He washes their feet full of compassion for the many pains they are to suffer, he thinks of the chains that will one day bind their feet in prison cells, and all his love is tender toward them. He has poured out his heart in prayer to his father, asking for their preservation in the face of all the persecution that will befall them. He has beseeched his Father that all his believers will be one even as He and the Father are one. Now at almost the end of the meal he re-names the bread (baked without yeast) and calls it his body, he takes the wine and calls it his blood, telling them that it is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. Still they do not understand. They sing one of the 6 Hallel psalms that are still sung this night throughout the world. Then they go out,and Jesus prays some more. It has been a long and emotional ceremonial meal, they long to sleep and although Jesus keeps rousing them they fall back into sleep. Until suddenly Roman soldiers stand around them and Peter makes a somewhat confused and bungled attempt to defend Jesus.
So the friends are parted. Life will never be the same again. They will never be the same again. A newness has come over the ceremonial meal, uniting people world-wide in the same meal with the second meaning. The bread and wine have been renamed so that all who bring faith to the commemorative meal will enter into a spiritual union with Jesus Christ and each other. The great covenant of the law will become the covenant of grace. Sacrifices will not be offered anymore for the ultimate sacrifice has been made for all time. As for the world – light has shone into the darkness. The words and Word of God have gone forth from God and travel swiftly through all of creation, creating a harvest of goodness that only God can measure.
Lent has ended, and this blog is complete.
May the Lord bless and keep you,
May he lift up his countenance upon you and be gracious unto you.
May he make his face to shine upon you and give you peace. Amen
Maundy Thursday for Christians, First Day of Passover for Jews.
Scripture reading Gospel of Mark chapter 14:12-25
The last day has ended. Tomorrow began, like all Jewish tomorrows do, at sundown. Jesus has eaten the Pass-over meal with his disciples. He had demonstrated the up-side down nature of the Kingdom of God by washing the soiled feet of the disciples, even while he reminded them that he is their leader and Lord. I think of him with sorrow tonight, no one ever loved like Jesus, he had been patient with these 11 people who even now did not understand the spiritual nature of religious events. He knows what terror and bewilderment will seize them when he is arrested and crucified. He washes their feet full of compassion for the many pains they are to suffer, he thinks of the chains that will one day bind their feet in prison cells, and all his love is tender toward them. He has poured out his heart in prayer to his father, asking for their preservation in the face of all the persecution that will befall them. He has beseeched his Father that all his believers will be one even as He and the Father are one. Now at almost the end of the meal he re-names the bread (baked without yeast) and calls it his body, he takes the wine and calls it his blood, telling them that it is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. Still they do not understand. They sing one of the 6 Hallel psalms that are still sung this night throughout the world. Then they go out,and Jesus prays some more. It has been a long and emotional ceremonial meal, they long to sleep and although Jesus keeps rousing them they fall back into sleep. Until suddenly Roman soldiers stand around them and Peter makes a somewhat confused and bungled attempt to defend Jesus.
So the friends are parted. Life will never be the same again. They will never be the same again. A newness has come over the ceremonial meal, uniting people world-wide in the same meal with the second meaning. The bread and wine have been renamed so that all who bring faith to the commemorative meal will enter into a spiritual union with Jesus Christ and each other. The great covenant of the law will become the covenant of grace. Sacrifices will not be offered anymore for the ultimate sacrifice has been made for all time. As for the world – light has shone into the darkness. The words and Word of God have gone forth from God and travel swiftly through all of creation, creating a harvest of goodness that only God can measure.
Lent has ended, and this blog is complete.
May the Lord bless and keep you,
May he lift up his countenance upon you and be gracious unto you.
May he make his face to shine upon you and give you peace. Amen
posted by Jessie Coates at 11:03 PM
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