“This is my body.” (Luke 22:19)
Jesus breaks the bread and enlivens crushed grain into a
meal of life. The grain has lost its nature as a kernel to be turned into a
loaf of life. The bread, a basic stable of all cuisines in every culture, is
given to the disciples who tear off a piece to eat just as it still done Middle
Eastern customs. When I go the home of my Afghanistan friends, we tear the bread
apart. There are no knives.
As the bread is passed, Jesus says, “Wait, wait one minute, the
one who is going to betray me is at the table sharing this bread with us.” We
are quickly reminded of what happens a few hours later when Judas betrays Jesus
with a kiss in the Garden of Gethsemane. In Luke’s gospel and in the tradition
of the early church, Judas’ kiss is interpreted as the triumph of Satan as
Satan has possessed Judas and moved him to betray Jesus (Luke 22:3-6). The
bread and cup are now in the hands of Satan’s pawns.
Do you ever feel that you live among the pawns of Satan? Do
you ever wonder if you are Satan’s pawn (be careful how you answer)? Jesus
invites you to his table to eat of his body.
Ronald Friesen © 2015
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