B10 - E3 Bread and Wine
Thursday morning found the apostles wondering where they were to celebrate the Passover meal that evening but Jesus had it all in hand. He sent Peter and John into the city, telling them they would see a man carrying a water jar. They were to follow him and ask the owner of the house into which he entered to show them the upper room which their Master had requested. This they did and found the room set up and ready for the meal. Together with a group of their supporters, they began to make all the necessary preparations.
When evening arrived, they walked back to the house together and went upstairs to the room. Jesus was fully aware that Judas had already made up his mind to betray him so was naturally saddened at the outset of the meal. Before the food arrived, he stood up and took off his cloak. Wrapping a towel around his waist, he poured water into a bowl and proceeded to go around the table, stooping down before each of his twelve apostles to wash their dusty feet.
This was menial work which was usually carried out by the least important servant in a home and Peter remonstrated with his master when it came to his turn but Jesus continued until he had completed his chosen task. When he returned to his seat, he explained what he had done and why. “You call me your Lord and Master, don’t you, and that is right because that is what I am, so I am setting you an example. If I have washed your feet, you should do the same for each other.”
As the meal came to an end, Jesus took a large piece of bread in his hands. He said a prayer of blessing over it and then broke it into pieces which he passed around to each of them, saying solemnly, “This is my body which I am giving to you. Take it and eat.” Then, taking a cup of wine in his hands, he blessed it and passed it to them saying, “This is my blood which will be offered up for you. Take it, drink from it, and do this yourselves in memory of me when I am no longer with you.”
They were to understand in time that, in this way, Jesus was fulfilling the words he had spoken on one occasion when he was preaching to a large crowd. He had said to them all, “Unless you eat my body and drink my blood you will not have my life in you.” Understandably, at the time, this had mystified his followers and shocked and horrified a great number of his listeners, many of whom turned away from him.
His closest friends had not understood either but could never have left him because they believed in him completely as the cornerstone of their lives. They came to see that at this Passover meal, Jesus had used the simple foods of their everyday lives, not the lamb or the vegetables or the expensive spices, but the foods which ordinary human hands had made from the seeds and fruits of their fields, to become “bread for their strength and wine for their joy;” his life within them.
An atmosphere of peace and joy filled the room as everyone present received the precious gift of himself which Jesus shared with them. Sadly, this was to be deeply disturbed soon afterwards when passing the bread around again, he said to them, “This very night, one of you is going to betray me.” They began to murmur amongst themselves as to who this could possibly be. John, who was the youngest member of the apostles and held a very special place in Jesus' heart, was sitting next to him, leaning against his shoulder, so Peter signalled to him to ask Jesus whom he meant.
Jesus said to John, “It is the one who shares this piece of bread with me.” Dipping it into the cup of wine, he passed it to Judas and said, “Go and do what you have planned quickly.” As Judas left the room, the others thought he was going to buy more provisions or give some money to the poor because he was the treasurer of their common fund. By this time it was dark outside, matching the darkness in the soul of Judas.
Jesus knew and explained to them that he was going away and that they would be unable to follow him, causing Peter to say, “Lord, where are you going and why can’t I follow you? You know I would give my life for you!” With sorrow in his heart, Jesus replied, “Will you really lay down your life for me, Peter? I’m telling you now that before the cock has crowed tomorrow morning, you will have denied that you know me three times!”
Jesus spent the remainder of the evening talking to them from the depth of his heart.” My children,” he told them,” I will only be with you now for a little while more. I am going to my Father to prepare a place for you all.” Over and over again, he emphasised that they were to follow in his ways by loving one another as he had loved them. “I won't leave you as orphans,” he continued; “I will send you a helper who will comfort, console and counsel you in the truth throughout the rest of your lives.”
“Above all, I am giving you my peace,” he said; “It will always be with you.” Using the image of himself as the vine, he urged them, as the branches of the vine, to stay close to him always and to remember that he had called them his friends and not his servants. “You will be hated and persecuted by enemies as I have been,” he warned them, “but don’t be afraid because, in the end, your sorrow will turn to joy. You will have trouble in this world but take courage because I have overcome the world.”
In his final prayer, Jesus gave thanks to his Father in heaven for all that he had been given and, most especially, for the gift of these, his dearest and closest friends, who had stood by him always, acknowledging that not one of them had been lost except the one who had “chosen to be lost,” sadly referring to Judas. He prayed for them all before saying that it was time for them to go so they left the house, singing psalms of thanksgiving as they went on their way.
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