Do This In Remembrance Of Me

– Ponderings:

We are getting to the end of Holy Week. This is the day of the Last Supper: finding the upper room where they could meet, preparing the Passover meal, washing the disciples’ feet, and sharing a final meal and conversation. It will also be a day of prayer in the garden, betrayal, arrest, denial, and desertion. Jesus spends much of the day surrounded by his closest friends and ends the day deserted by all of them. Only one, John, will end up at the cross; all the others, out of fear, will go into hiding.

For us, though, one act stands out among the many. Near the end of their meal, Jesus leaves his disciples – and us – with a commandment (in Latin, a mandatum): “Do this in remembrance of me.” Maundy Thursday: The Table of Remembrance.

“Then Jesus took a loaf of bread, and when he had given thanks he broke it and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’ And he did the same with the cup after supper, saying, ‘This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood.'” (Luke 22:19-20).

This is a sacred night. Jesus is preparing for a battle, but there are no weapons, only bread and a cup. A war is about to begin—one waged not with might, but with sacrifice. The words that shape the battle are not spoken out of anger or hatred, but forgiveness and love. What is at stake is nothing less than God’s redemptive love offered to all people.

But another commandment is given to us that evening. “Love one another as I have loved you.” The table is where that love is demonstrated most vividly. It’s a place of humility, of vulnerability, of communion. But this is also a table of grace and forgiveness, freely given to the one who will betray, the one who will deny, and all who will flee. The table is not reserved for the perfect, but for the broken. And it is in this brokenness that grace overflows.

Tonight, as we remember the Last Supper, may we also remember the cost of our redemption. The bread reminds us of Christ’s body, broken for us. The cup, his blood poured out for our forgiveness. It is a meal of remembrance, yes—but also of participation. Each time we come to the table, we are drawn into the story.

What does it mean for you personally to “do this in remembrance” of Jesus? What does it mean for you to know that you have been forgiven?

Prayer: Jesus, on this holy night, we remember the love you showed as you broke bread and poured out the cup. You knew the cross awaited, and yet you gave yourself freely. Help me to approach your table with gratitude, to remember not only with my mind, but with my life. Teach me to love as you loved and to serve as you served. Amen.

Are you looking for a place to celebrate Maundy Thursday? Join us at Ridge UMC this evening at 6 pm for a light meal, Communion around a table, and be drawn into the story through The Living Last Supper. All are welcome!