The Passover is about to begin. On this night, Jesus and
his friends will eat the most important meal of the year and recount together
God’s saving acts in the history of their people. They will remember slavery in
Egypt, the ten plagues, and how God released their people from bondage. They will
remember God’s protection from the angel of death, escaping from the Egyptian
army, and God’s provision in the wilderness. They will remember that they are
God’s chosen people and that God, who acted so mightily on their behalf in the
past, can and will act again. They will remember they are blessed.
As expected, they gather together in a small room and share
a feast.
When the feast is done and everyone is full and satisfied,
Jesus reaches for a loaf of bread. Who could eat another bite? And if anyone
could, why would they eat that? He breaks the bread, saying it is his body.
“Take it.”
He takes a cup of wine, maybe even the cup poured out for
the prophet Elijah, poured in case he would return, and says, “This is my blood
of the covenant, poured out for many.”
He tells them that they will all desert him.
He has given everything. They will not return the favor.
They won’t even stay awake and pray with him. They will
give in to the after-meal tiredness and fall asleep in the garden.
Of course, they are still thinking he has come to conquer
the empire and take the Temple. When Judas arrives with thugs in the garden,
one of the disciples rises to defend Jesus. He cuts off someone’s ear as if to
say, “Finally! The revolution begins!” When he is silenced by Jesus, he doesn’t
have any idea what to do next. Without weapons, what power do any of them have?
They all scatter, just as Jesus has said they would.
Text for the day:
Things to think
about:
When does violence seem like the only option?
Things to do:
Lay down your weapons and pray.
Jesus,
lead me still.
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