Journey to the Cross Through COVIDExemplo

I have mostly participated in the Lord’s Supper at church. But I’ve also eaten the bread and drunk from the cup on camps, in small groups, alone at retreats, with friends, and with my family. The Lord’s Supper, or Communion or Eucharist, was never intended to be a formality, but an expression and reminder of the sacrifice of Jesus, cementing his death and its meaning into the depths of our hearts. Read how this precious meal was inaugurated by Jesus. 

Read Luke 22:17-20

The cups in this narrative can get a little confusing. The Jewish Passover meal actually came in four courses with a cup associated with each one. So the first cup Luke mentions was probably either the first or second one during the meal. In his toast, Jesus focused on this being his last Passover meal with them until that great celebration to come when he would return to a remade world. Even at this terrible point, Jesus had an eye on what his death would eternally achieve.

The bread (22:19) was part of the third course which also included the lamb and bitter herbs. Jesus put a new meaning on the broken bread saying that it represented his body that would be broken for his community. He inaugurated this memorial for his disciples and later his church with the words, “Do this in remembrance of me” (22:19).

Then Jesus used the last cup to speak about his death (the blood) and the resultant new covenant – we can have forgiveness and new life through the death of Jesus. It commemorates and declares Jesus’ sacrificial death for us. 

One of the costs of social isolation has been our inability to participate with Christians, as we have for over 2000 years, in celebrating the Lord’s Supper together in a church service. However, this does not mean that we are stopped from remembering the sacrifice of Jesus this way. Maybe we can do it alone. Maybe we can do it with our family. Maybe we can do it with a friend. The celebration of the Lord’s Supper remains central to our worship of Christ. 

When our children were young, Wednesday night was family night. As part of our activities, we would share communion together, with the children taking turns to explain what it meant. Maybe this could be a possibility for nuclear families. You just need to work out a ritual that suits your situation. But don’t neglect the bread and cup. Jesus said, “Do this is remembrance of me.”

Prayer: Thank Jesus for what he has done in sacrificing his life for you. Share in the Lord’s Supper. Pray for those who have no security or hope or peace as they move through this pandemic.