Maundy
Thursday
Scriptures
and Reflections
April 17,
2003
On this night
we remember back to an event in ancient times, to a time when God delivered the
Israelites from the hands of the Egyptians.
We read this text as a reminder to us that our faith is inextricably
linked to the faith of Israel, linked to the God of all time and all place,
linked to the God who promised from the beginning deliverance and salvation,
and who keeps that promise through the Son.
Let us take time now to remember and reflect upon all that God has done
for God’s people throughout salvation history.
In the
Psalmist’s song of thanksgiving, he remembers back to what God has done for
him, affirming for all who read is lyrical song of praise that Yahweh is the
God who saves. For the Psalmist, the
knowledge and experience of Yahweh’s salvation has become for him a
life-changing event. As you remember
God’s salvific action in your own life through the body and blood of Jesus
Christ, reflect upon how that salvation has changed your life.
The eternal
words of Christ, written here by Paul, are the capstone in our Communion ritual
and lives of faith. We come to the
table, not simply as individuals, but together as the community of faith, in a
single act of solidarity with our brothers and sisters, remembering, sharing,
and uniting through the body and blood of Jesus Christ. Through the breaking of bread and the
drinking of the cup is more than just an act of remembrance, it is an act of
proclamation, a proclamation of the gospel of Jesus Christ, that the one who
died is now the one who lives, and will be the one who comes again. As we prepare ourselves for communion, let
us reflect upon Christ's eternal words, and how they are for us the message of
salvation to all who hear them.
Of all the
stories in the Bible, this scene of Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane is one of
the most moving. The narrative
powerfully and passionately depicts for us a heart-wrenching scene not of
Jesus' divinity, but of Jesus' humanity.
In the facing of tragedy, all of us long for friendship and
companionship, for loved ones to stand with us during times of sorrow and
anxiety, fear and despair, yet Jesus must face this tragedy alone. Where he goes no one can follow, indeed no
one is able to follow. He alone must
face the burden and the suffering that lies before him. And yet, he is not alone.
His disciples may sleep only a few
yards away, but there is one who does not sleep, who does not faint or grow
weary, who does not turn away in the midst of tragedy. In the midst of his deepest despair, Jesus
relies upon the eternal and loving companionship of God. It is this companionship, and indeed, this
life-long communion, that gives Jesus the strength and the hope to proclaim,
"yet not what I want, but what you want."
As we remember the events of this
night, and all that Jesus endures for us, let us reflect upon our own communion
and fellowship with God, and the strength and hope we have through God's
eternal and loving presence.
Then Peter
remembered. If only he had remembered
before. If only he could turn back the
clock and do it all over again. If only
he could have another chance, another opportunity to proclaim his loyalty and
his faith in Jesus. In the midst of
stress and fear, and the threat of personal harm for the sake of the gospel,
how many of us forget what we have known for so long? How many of us forget the message and promise of Jesus' words? How many of us just plain forget? Let us take time now to reflect upon this:
When Jesus turns and looks at us, what will his eyes say about us? What will we be able to say about ourselves?