Remembering with Friends

One of the great joys of life is sharing a meal with friends of family.

Today is Maundy Thursday, a day when Christians remember Jesus' 'Last Supper' with his friends.

In particular we remember Jesus' command that he gave to his friends, that whenever they break bread and share wine they should do it in remembrance of him. "Do this in remembrance of me" he said. The central way that Christians obey this command is through the shared special meal known as the 'Breaking of Bread' or 'The Lord's Supper' or the 'Holy Communion' or the 'Eucharist' or the Mass. It doesn't matter what you call it. The essential thing is that friends and followers of Jesus meet together, take bread and wine, give thanks and share the broken bread and wine in remembrance of Jesus. And in doing so we discover again that Jesus is really present with us and among us.


We may also discover that Jesus is present wherever and whenever people enjoy sharing food and drink together.

I'm grateful to Byrony Taylor for her helpful meditation on this theme which she has placed in the public domain. It is based on a painting called 'Our Last Supper' by Iain Campbell, a Scottish portrait painter who died earlier this year. The men that Iain Campbell portrayed in this modern version of Jesus' 'Last Supper' are all people who attended a homeless charity in Glasgow. One of the figures in the painting represents Jesus, but there is no way of telling which one he is. That is the artist's deliberate intention. It gives rise to Byrony's question, 'where do you see Jesus'? The video is only 3 minutes long. Do take a look. I wonder what it will evoke for you?

Image Credit: Arthur Querou on Flickr, CC License