“Take and eat, this is my body which is given for you.”
“Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body, for we all share the one loaf.” (1 Corinthians 10:17)
We show we are united around a cause or situation in many ways. We might wear our team’s colors or wear a uniform or another piece of clothing to show that we are on the same side. If you think about it, one of the greatest uniters is food. A meal has a way of bringing people together and letting them express and enjoy the unity they share.
Today, Christians remember and partake in a special meal that Jesus gave his followers more than 2000 years ago. This meal not only gives them an assurance of faith but also allows them to express the unity they share as his children.
In the verse above, the Apostle Paul uses a unique lesson from the meal that Christians remember and partake of on Maundy Thursday and throughout their lives – a loaf of bread. Unlike the wafers that we often use for the Lord’s Supper today, at the institution of the Lord’s Supper, Jesus very likely used a loaf of bread, and the disciples tore off pieces as it was passed around. During this time, they heard Jesus say those very special words: “Take and eat, this is my body which is given for you.” (Matthew 26:26)
Paul uses this imagery of a loaf of bread to talk about how all who partake of the loaf of bread are united in faith. This is because they not only eat from the same loaf but also share the same faith and receive the same spiritual blessings.
Sin so quickly and easily tears us apart. However, in Holy Communion, God gives us a real and special way to mend those divisions, receive forgiveness, and express the faith we have in Jesus.
Let these words of Paul be a reminder and an encouragement to enjoy and appreciate the unity that our Lord gives us in his Supper!
Prayer: Dear Jesus, today, we remember and celebrate your institution of that special meal that assures us of our forgiveness and helps us to remember the unity of faith that we have as your children. Thank you for giving us this Sacrament. Help me to remember what this Sacrament is all about, the forgiveness of my sins, and the strengthening of my faith. I ask this in your name. Amen.