Thursday 01 April 2010

Background

Each Maundy Thursday the Church traditionally re-enacts the footwashing of the disciples before the Last Supper and the sharing ofbread and wine afterwards. In fact, each time the Church celebratesHoly Communion these words from 1 Corinthians are used, in order tobe faithful to the tradition handed on to the Church.

Paul wrote these words to the Church in Corinth, urging them topreserve the traditions they had received from him (1Corinthians 11:2). Corinth was experiencing some internaldivisions which Paul was addressing - dress codes for women andsharing the Lord's Supper. Paul was scandalised that instead ofsharing a common meal, the rich were bringing their own food andgetting drunk in front of the poor who had nothing. To recall themto the heart of the Lord's Supper Paul reminded the Church inCorinth that keeping this tradition required only bread and wineand the actions of taking, giving thanks, breaking and sharing inremembrance of Jesus and in celebration of the new covenant inChrist's blood, proclaiming his death and looking for his comingagain.

Yet faithful sharing of the bread and wine was not only about aparticular form of words, as Paul went on to explain. To share inthis cup and to eat this bread required self-examination andrecognising the body of Christ (verse 29). The Corinthians neededto understand that they were not just eating an ordinary meal, butsharing in Christ's risen life; they also needed to discern thattheir fellow disciples were part of the Body of Christ too.

So Paul warned the Corinthians to judge themselves in order toavoid being judged by others and to let God discipline them so thatthey would not be condemned along with the world (verses31-32).

To Ponder

What do you think Jesus expected people to do inremembrance of him?

What do you think is needed for a faithfulcelebration of the Lord's Supper?

To what extent can we, who live in the richestnations of the world, avoid drinking the cup of the Lord in anunworthy manner?