Jesus was in a private room with the apostles celebrating the Passover the night before His death. After the celebratory meal there was only the quiet and content sound of the apostles talking with each other in the soft candle light. After a moment, Jesus quietly picked up a piece of bread and began to break it apart on His plate. As He spoke, the chatter died immediately.
“I have looked forward to celebrating this Passover with you. I will not eat again until the kingdom of God is fulfilled,” Jesus said. Passing the plate of broken up bread, He then instructed, “Take and eat this bread. This is my body.”
The disciples respectfully obeyed, although they were likely confused about this new ceremony. Jesus then took a cup of wine and passed it around as well.
“Take and drink this wine,” said Jesus. “This is my blood in the new covenant that will be spilled for the forgiveness of sins. I will not drink again until the day that I drink with you in my Father’s Kingdom.”
The room was charged with the power of the moment, a new ritual immortalizing the start of the most important 24 hours in human history.
Christian faiths differ in the ways that they teach the specific doctrine of the Last Supper, and in the ways and frequency the Last Supper is offered to congregations. However, Christianity is united in reverence for the holy ritual, hope in the grace of Jesus given to us by His death and resurrection, and love for God for the gift of His Son. Participation is seen as an act of faith and a time to be unified with God. Above all, it is a time for reflection of the Great Sacrifice which was made on our behalf.
This narrative was adapted from Luke 22 and Matthew 26.
