Theme verses:
Luke 22:14-20 - When the hour came, he took his place at the table, and the apostles with him. He said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; for I tell you, I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves; for I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” Then he took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” And he did the same with the cup after supper, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood. |
Meditation:
 “Taking, Thanking, Breaking, & Giving”
In this Gospel reading Jesus took, gave thanks, broke it, and gave it. Do these actions sound familiar? Do they remind you of any other meal we share together?
Every time we celebrate Holy Communion we remember how, on the night in which he was betrayed, Jesus took, thanked, broke, and gave (Luke 22:14-20). For those disciples who shared the Last Supper with Jesus, these actions – taking, thanking, breaking, and giving – probably brought to mind the day when they helped Jesus feed the hungry crowds. On that day Jesus did the same thing. He took the food, gave thanks to God for it, broke it, and gave it to the disciples to share with others.
For the season of Lent, I challenge us to keep this picture in mind every time we go to the Table for Holy Communion. Remember how much Jesus has given us and how he calls us to pass it on – to share these gifts so others can share in God’s blessings.
We have people in our midst who are hungry – hungry for food, hungry for someone to share a meal with, hungry for the love and grace of God.
It’s through participating in God’s generous giving that we experience God’s overflowing abundance. |
Prayer:
Gracious God, we gratefully take what you give - the gifts of your love, forgiveness, and blessings. We give you thanks for all the good gifts we have. Break our hearts with your concern for those who are in need. Help us to see the need and give what we have to spread your love, forgiveness, and blessings throughout the world. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen. |
