EUCHARIST:

SIMPLE  LOGIC

The title of my thoughts for this Holy Thursday morning is, “Eucharist: Simple Logic.”

No bread; no wine; no Eucharist.

Simple logic.

No Christ; no disciples; no Eucharist.

Simple logic.

No slavery; no sin; no Exodus; no Escape from Egypt to the Promised Land; no Passover; no reason for celebration: no Eucharist.

Simple logic.

Christianity without Judaism before it and essential to it; no Eucharist.

Simple logic.

No priests; no parish; no people; no faith; no hope; no charity; no Eucharist.

Simple logic.

It takes time to work the fields and work the vines to get wheat and to get grapes.  It takes work and time - sweat and muscle - to make and bake bread - to crush and create and come up with a great wine - from grapes.

Eucharist: Simple Logic.

It takes time and work to organize a great meal - to do the shopping - to do the chopping - to set the tables - to prepare the lamb - to prepare an inviting table and stage a delicious meal.

Eucharist: Simple Logic.

The reading we heard in this Holy Thursday Morning Prayer from Hebrews 2: 9b-10 - just now - told us that “because he suffered death”, Jesus was crowned with glory and honor.  The reading we just heard from Hebrews told us that Jesus tasted death - so that we could taste salvation. That night - when he tasted the Passover Bread and Wine - looking ahead to the next day - Good Friday - Jesus tasted death in that upper room; when we taste the bread and the wine, we are tasting our life - birth till death - and hopefully our salvation through the death of Jesus.

Eucharist: Simple Logic.

No pain, no gain. No cross, no crown. No suffering, no resurrection. No Good Friday, no Easter Sunday.

Eucharist: Simple Logic.

This Passover Night, this Holy Thursday night, tonight - is different from all other nights

This Holy Thursday night we are going to celebrate a Meal that is different from all other meals and all other nights.

People gather in memory of others. People do things in memory of others. Jesus gathered one last time - for one Last Supper - with his disciples. We all remember people’s last words - last behaviors - last moments.

We all repeat, re-enact, remember - what others did for us. We Christians do this - this week.

Why is this week different from all other weeks? This week - this day - Holy Thursday -  we remember to celebrate Jesus’ Last Supper - which becomes the Eternal Banquet. This week - tomorrow - Good Friday - we celebrate Jesus’ Death on the Cross for our Redemption. This week - this Sunday - Easter Sunday - we experience Christ’s resurrection from the Dead. Alleluia. Alleluia. Alleluia - but not yet! 

Eucharist: Simple Logic. 

O  O  O  O  O  O  O

© Andy Costello, Reflections, 2013