Week 24 - The last supper
Theme:
Jesus invites me to join Him for the Last Supper with His disciples.
What I may wish to ask:
That I can feel that I belong to the community of Jesus’ disciples. That I become aware of how great Jesus’ love is and that I am able to receive that love.
If I have not yet done so, I place myself before God who is looking at me with loving eyes. To help me with this I can make use of the choir music from Bach’s Matthäus Passion and ask Jesus: acknowledge me, take me in!
Matthäus Passion, Koorzang (Conductor Ton Koopmans, The Amsterdam Baroque orchestra and choir)
Erkenne mich, mein Hüter,
Mein Hirte, nimm mich an!
Von dir, Quell aller Güter,
Ist mir viel Gut's getan.
Dein Mund hat mich gelabet
Mit Milch und süßer Kost,
Dein Geist hat mich begabet
Mit mancher Himmelslust.
Acknowledge me, my Guardian,
my Shepherd, take me in!
From you, source of all goodness,
has much good come to me.
Your mouth has nourished me
with milk and sweet sustenance;
your spirit has lavished upon me
much heavenly joy.
Spotify Link:
https://open.spotify.com/track/5vxBY1G0PvyFiUfqKy40kt?si=f1f61b1f95034000
Luke 22, 14-20
And when the hour came, he sat at table, and the apostles with him. And he said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer; for I tell you I shall not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.”
I imagine, as vividly as I can, that I am present at this supper: the last supper which Jesus will enjoy with His beloved disciples. I find a place within the room and I look at Jesus and at the disciples. How do they look? How do they move? What do they say? What do they eat?
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What does it do to me to be present at this Last Supper? What touches me?
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And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he said, “Take this, and divide it among yourselves; for I tell you that from now on I shall not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” And he took bread, and when he had given thanks he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” And likewise the cup after supper, saying, “This cup which is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.”
Jesus gives His disciples, gives us, His body and His blood. He gives us His life. What does this mean to me?
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In a few minutes we will end our meditation with a different choir song from the Matthäus Passion than the one at the beginning of this meditation. Maybe a join in with the choir in their prayer to be able to stay at Jesus’ side during His imminent pain and suffering.
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Spotify Link:
https://open.spotify.com/track/2gW8mQqsPmwkpLWwPqOWDN?si=4a4d064ef18f4738
Matthäus Passion, Koorzang BWV 244 (Dirigent Ton Koopmans,
The Amsterdam Baroque orchestra and choir)
German lyrics
Ich will hier bei dir stehen;
Verachte mich doch nicht!
Von dir will ich nicht gehen,
Wenn dir dein Herze bricht.
Wenn dein Herz wird erblassen,
Im letzten Todesstoß,
Alsdenn will ich dich fassen
In meinen Arm und Schoß.
English lyrics
I would stand here beside thee;
Do not then scorn me!
From thee I will not depart
Even if thy heart is breaking.
When thy heart shall grow pale
In the last pang of death,
Then I will grasp thee
In my arms and lap.