Read: 1 Corinthians 11:23-26

“For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, ‘This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’ In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.’” – 1 Corinthians 11:23-25

Most of us hear these words (or at least similar ones) every Sunday when we come to worship. Those of us who have been Episcopalian for a while could probably recite them in our sleep. We will commemorate the institution of the Eucharist tonight during Maundy Thursday worship, take the Eucharist, and then we will read Psalm 22 as we strip the altar. We go from celebration to solemnity in a matter of minutes.

As much as it would probably seem like we are having an ecclesiastical mood swing, this is what happened almost 2000 years ago tonight. Jesus and his twelve closest friends got together to celebrate the Passover seder, then they headed to Gethsemane, where he prayed in the garden, begging God to not make him go through with the crucifixion. As important as it is that we celebrate the Eucharist every Sunday, it is equally important that we remember this time every year because we are remembering that Jesus is fully human in addition to being fully divine. His fully human side did not want to go through a horrifically painful death alone. It gives me hope in those times when I am terrified about what is coming next to know that Jesus went through it too. It gives me hope to know that Jesus praying those agonizing prayers brought him to a place of acceptance, something that I would hope to find as well.

Gracious God, be with us in those times when we are terrified of what is coming next. Help us to remember that Jesus also had those times of fear, one of them right after he had a time of celebration with his friends. Amen.
-Jen McCabe