1 Corinthians 11:23-34
Paul makes a poignant reference in our epistle reading for today. He could have chosen any number of ways to identify what we call Maundy Thursday: the night Jesus was arrested, the night Jesus celebrated the Passover, the night Jesus instituted the sacred meal. But Paul chose to call it the night of Jesus’ betrayal. “For I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it…” (1 Corinthians 11:23-24a). By placing the meal into this particular context Paul heightens the tension between the grace of God and the sinfulness of humanity.
Judas would indeed betray Jesus to the authorities, but by the time the night was over Jesus would be disserted by his followers and denied by Peter. And the crowds who cheered Jesus on Palm Sunday would be screaming for his blood by Friday. Into this climate Jesus introduces a profound sign of God’s love, a meal through which believers find nourishment for the journey of faith and are reminded of the sacrifice made.
The truth is that we all betray Jesus every time we fall short of God’s will. But the sacrament of communion remains for us a sign that Jesus’ sacrifice was not in vain. As Paul reminds us, God’s love abounds.
Prayer: Lord, we thank you for your continued love and mercy. Bless us in our efforts to serve you and forgive us when we fail. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
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