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smthursday04
Maundy Thursday
Text:
Luke 22:7-20
Date: Maundy Thursday Triduum I
4/8/04 e fax free number
It's
been a long night here in the Upper Room. During our Lenten midweek
services we have heard the words of our Lord that he spoke to us
that night in which he was betrayed, much of it standing just before
heading out the door into the night. This night, however, is set
aside as the anniversary of the greatest mystery: the institution
of the sacrament of his Body and Blood, the sacrament of the altar,
the Lord's Supper, the Holy Communion, the Eucharist, the Magnum
Mysterium. It is a mystery because while we can and are to know,
acknowledge and believe that Jesus meant what he said when he said,
“this is my body, this is my blood,” still we cannot explain it.
Those bent on explaining and understanding this mystery most often
end up not believing it! But those who simply hear and boldly believe
the words of Christ truly receive what he says, his holy Body and
his sacred Blood, and the forgiveness of sins, life and salvation
that has been purchased for us by his holy sacrifice on the cross.
Because
of the seeming contradiction between what our Lord says he gives
into our mouths in this sacrament and what our eyes behold we need
to learn the language of faith. That language is best taught in
the little catechism. You know that, in answer to the first question
about this sacrament [“What is the sacrament of the altar?”] has
something to do with the bread and wine of Holy Communion being
the true body and blood of Christ. But I would make an important
point and have you notice the importance of the order of the words
of the catechism answer. For it does not say that the bread and
wine are the body and blood of Christ. Rather, the first thing out
of your mouth should be the most important thing, namely the words
“body” and “blood.” “What is the Sacrament of the Altar? It is the
true body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Of only secondary
and even incidental importance is the fact that the elements are
also and remain bread and wine. “It is the true body and blood of
our Lord Jesus Christ under bread and wine.” It is of great
importance, when we speak about this sacrament, that we ought to
make sure we speak “body” and “blood” language. “Bread and wine”
language emphasizes only the earthly side and therefore dangerously
ignores what is most important. If we speak of the pastor distributing
the bread and the assistants distributing the wine, while that is
not “wrong,” what does it reveal about our faith and confession
of this sacrament? Are we “embarrassed” to speak of the consecrated
elements as what they really are? I fear such “embarrassment” easily
leads to (or reveals) actual failure to believe what the Lord here
says he is giving into our mouths. And, furthermore, as it is important
how we speak about the sacrament, so also is it important how we
act and how we handle the Body and Blood of Christ, namely, with
great reverence and special care.
When
we “do this” in remembrance of Jesus, we are careful to do what
he did and say what he said that we don't change either the meaning
or the validity of this sacrament, because it is his Word that is
most important. It is his Body and Blood because he says so. Therefore
the communicant needs to hear him say so. And we must use bread
and wine because that's what he did at that final Passover Seder.
It
is interesting that Martin Luther was not interested in wasting
time trying to explain how the bread and wine become the Body and
Blood of Christ. He defended the Real Presence against the fanatics
who wanted to explain away the Body and Blood of Christ simply by
pointing to the word of Christ. His criticism of the Pope's invention
of the so-called doctrine of Transubstantiation to explain the Real
Presence, however, was mainly because the Pope said you had to believe
it more than the topsy-turvy philosophical maneuverings used to
explain it. As a matter of faith and the Word, it is beyond explanation
other than the power of God's Word.
Jesus
commands us to do this because the benefit of the sacrament is the
giving of forgiveness of sins, life and salvation. If anyone asks
you how bodily eating and drinking can do such great things, they
are asking the wrong question. Because it's certainly not just the
eating and drinking that do these things, but the Word attached
to the eating and drinking that conveys what they say, “the forgiveness
of sins.” Therefore, that person is truly worthy and well prepared
who has faith in these words, for the words “for you” require all
hearts to believe.
The
small catechism teaches us now only what to believe but how to talk
about or confess what we believe. Words are important. So learn
this. When someone asks you, what is the Sacrament of the Altar,
keep first things first: “It is the true body and blood of our Lord
Jesus Christ under the bread and wine, instituted by Christ Himself
for us Christians to eat and to drink.”
An
important aspect especially for our day is also the practice of
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