MAUNDY THURSDAY
Today is Maundy Thursday. For the past four years I have led our Maundy Thursday observation in the Fellowship Hall. We have followed a long-standing tradition called “Meal With the Master.” According to our Worship Elder, Mickey Gilsdorf, the Meal With the Master began under the pastorate of the Rev. Pat Young.
Our Maundy Thursday tradition is to have a meal together in the Fellowship Hall with some of the foods traditionally eaten at Passover time in the first century. According to Dr. Google the foods were a bean stew, lamb, olives, bitter herbs, a fish sauce, unleavened bread, dates and aromatized wine.
Here is the story according to the Gospel of Luke, chapter 22:
1. Now the Festival of Unleavened Bread, called the Passover, was approaching, 2 and the chief priests and the teachers of the law were looking for some way to get rid of Jesus, for they were afraid of the people. 3 Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve. 4 And Judas went to the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard and discussed with them how he might betray Jesus. 5 They were delighted and agreed to give him money. 6 He consented, and watched for an opportunity to hand Jesus over to them when no crowd was present.
7 Then came the day of Unleavened Bread on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. 8 Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and make preparations for us to eat the Passover.”
9 “Where do you want us to prepare for it?” they asked.
10 He replied, “As you enter the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you. Follow him to the house that he enters, 11 and say to the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher asks: Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?’ 12 He will show you a large room upstairs, all furnished. Make preparations there.”
13 They left and found things just as Jesus had told them. So they prepared the Passover.
14 When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. 15 And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. 16 For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.”
17 After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among you. 18 For I tell you I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.”
19 And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.”
20 In the same way, after the supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you. 21 But the hand of him who is going to betray me is with mine on the table. 22 The Son of Man will go as it has been decreed. But woe to that man who betrays him!” 23 They began to question among themselves which of them it might be who would do this.
I am reading Scott Kelly’s autobiography, Endurance. Kelly is a US astronaut who went into space 4 times, including a year on the International Space Station from 2015-2016.
The physical and psychological toll on astronauts is incredible. I didn’t know how hard it was until reading this book, which I highly recommend.
One of the hardest times for Kelly was Christmas in space. He realized how much he valued and missed the simple gathering of his family around a table for a Christmas meal.
“I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer,” Jesus said to his disciples. The Master wanted to be with his dearest friends and eat the Passover meal with them. The meal itself was a symbolic one reminding the Jews of the sufferings of their forefathers and the power of God’s deliverance.
The question asked every year at the Passover meal is this: “Why is this night different from all other nights ?” There’s a different answer this year with shelter-at-home being practiced all over the world.
In Israel some families are using ZOOM to connect with one another for Passover. The religious questions arising from Zooming this year’s Passover gatherings set off a fiery, Talmudic-like debate among Israel’s rabbis, who had to weigh whether the psychological distress caused by family separation and loneliness justified the use of screens and devices based on the principle of allowing exceptions to religious law to save a life.
No matter what, whether in Israel or in Peoria, Arizona, this Passover/Maundy Thursday is different–and difficult. Like Jesus, I earnestly desire to be with you tonight. I feel very sad having to think about that.
At dinner every night Barbara and I light a candle and say an intercessory prayer for people who are struggling. Tonight as we do that, we will read the Maundy Thursday passage from Luke 22 and pray this prayer:
Gracious God,
As those who strive to follow Jesus in our living
and to trust your power in our dying,
we gather to reflect upon the life that ended on a cross.
We recognize in ourselves the strengths and weaknesses of Jesus’ disciples:
although they loved him, they disappointed and failed him.
And yet, gathering with these imperfect friends at this last meal
Jesus washed their feet in service, and then
extended the bread and cup to each.
Jesus called them to love one another, and invited them to share in his very life
and in his acceptance of the road ahead.
We are humbled, honored and inspired
by the deep love Christ extended to the world,
and we take seriously the calling to be the body of Christ today.
Forgive us when we disappoint and fail you,
and guide us back to a place of trust and faithful living.
Grant us the vision to see the world as you see it,
with love and compassion for each creature and all of your creation.
We ask this in the name of Jesus, who taught us to pray to you. . .
Our Father who art in heaven….
To all of you who love Christ and love our little church, here is my benediction for Maundy Thursday:
This night is our calling to go into the world,
scattered to the ends of the earth
to love as Christ loved
and serve in the name of Christ.
It is our calling to remember,
even in our darkest hour,
who we are.
We remember that Christ is always with us.
And we remember that on this night,
we were taught how to love.
On this night, eternity begins
and the fullness of God’s Reign begins to spill into our lives.
So go into the world to give yourself for others,
in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Go into the world and love
in the name of the One who loved us until the end. Amen.