“Festive supper, family row”
By Rev. Michael Stonhouse
Meditation – Friday, December 13, 2024
Luke 22: 14-30 (Forward, p. 45) CEV p. 1093
I have never experienced this myself, but I have heard tales of ferocious family squabbles, family rows, which took place over supposedly festive occasions such as Christmas or Thanksgiving. People getting upset over some comment or gesture, and then exploding verbally in retaliation. It must have been so sad that such an event should be marred by such an outburst.
In a sense, the Last Supper in today’s account reminds me of this. The Seder, the Passover meal, was one of the highlights of the year for those of the Jewish faith. It was a joyful celebration of Israel’s deliverance from its bondage in Egypt, its miraculous rescue through the Red Sea and its entrance, as a new and free people, a new nation, into the Promised Land.
But all this, in today’s story, becomes reshaped, marred in a peculiar way.
And, most surprisingly, it is Jesus who does this—at least initially. He takes two of the traditional elements of the Passover Seder, a piece of matzah bread and one of the cups of wine, invests them with new meanings. The bread, once broken, becomes His body, given and broken for them, and the outpoured wine becomes His blood, as a way of establishing a new covenant with them. As good, practicing Jews they’d long known of how blood was considered crucial, instrumental, in establishing or restoring a right relationship between God and His people, but never before had they seen it so up close, so personal. It would have been profoundly moving—and upsetting, for here Jesus was predicting His death once again.
However, the meal gets even more upsetting, and here it is Jesus once again who ‘sets the cat among the pigeons’. He explains that one of them, one of the Twelve, will betray Him. And here is where the family fight breaks out:
-rather predictably, an argument immediately breaks out over who
would ever do such a thing, with each one wanting to be reassured
that it couldn’t possibly be him, and others wanting to point the
finger of suspicion at someone else.
-and then, in a curious turn of conversation, their talk flips from
blame to boasting, from who is despicable to who is great.
And the curious thing is that they have lost sight of what was truly important, namely the new covenant that Jesus was establishing by means of His own death. And sadly, they missed on what it would cost Jesus, His betrayal, trial, suffering and terrible death—all this, out of His great and never to be surpassed love for us. Oh, that none of us would ever lose sight of this great love. Amen.
Forward notes: “But I am among you as one who serves” (verse 27c).
“A few years ago, the parish I served started a monthly community dinner. We planned for months on how to be hospitable and offer a Christ-centered welcome to our guests. We thought of dietary needs, greeters, and even how we would hand out to-go boxes.
“As our first year progressed, we decided to make the last dinner before Advent special. We brought out the tablecloths, the good plates, and the silverware. We even decorated the tables.
“As dinner was winding down, one of the first-time guests stopped me and said, ‘Thank you so much for this! This is the first meal I have had since I lost my home where I didn’t feel disposable.’ He had been accustomed to meals at other churches and community centers where everything was served on disposable plates for ease and convenience. We stumbled upon the gift of dignity in offering our best to Christ in disguise.
“In this season, perhaps we would do well to plan for Jesus to show up at our door in the guise of the other.”
Moving Forward: “Are you involved in a ministry to those in need? Do you opt for convenience or hospitality?”