Scripture can be found here.
You have eaten this meal; you have gathered around this table.
You have sat opposite the one you love, the one who loves you.
You have sat near the one with whom you are vying for position.
You have sat next to the one who betrayed you.
You have sat next to the one whom you betrayed.
You have leaned into the bosom of the one you knew
would not live to see another sunset….
and you have leaned close to the one whose parting
was an earthquake of surprise.
Do you remember?
You have gathered around this table of tradition,
Asking, “Why is this night different from every other night?”
“Why this food? Why right here? Why right now?”
You have eaten the familiar bread, the workday fruit of the vine,
Suddenly transformed into… you knew not what.
Something greater.
Something more.
Bread for the journey, the water of life.
Do you remember?
You have watched as the one you love, the one who loves you, took the bread.
You watched the hard-working hands handle the steaming, fragrant loaves…
Who baked the loaves?
Who packaged the flour?
Who milled the grain?
Who planted the seed?
All the work of all these hands, now before you on the table.,
And being held in the strong and gentle hands of the one who loves you
And whom you love… the taking of the bread.
Do you remember?
You have listened as the one you love, the one who loves you, blessed the bread.
You listened to those words…
“Bless us, O Lord, and these thy gifts…”
“Lord, bless this food to our use and our lives to your service…”
“Baruch atah Adonai eloheinu, Melech ha-olam,
ha-motzi lechem min ha-aretz. Amein.”
“Blessed are you, Lord our God, King of the universe,
Who brings forth bread from the earth. Amen.”
The blessing spoken in the voice of the one you love,
the one who loves you… the blessing of the bread.
Do you remember?
You have smelled the scent of the warm loaves as they were broken
Bread that is broken for you, and for those all around the table,
Broken for your nourishment.
Broken so that everyone would have their fill,
Broken, because that’s the only way bread can be shared.
Broken, so that one loaf is many pieces,
Broken, but still one loaf.
Bread that is broken by the hands of the one who loves you,
And the one you love… the breaking of the bread.
Do you remember?
You have reached out your hands to receive the bread as it is given,
Holding the warm morsels in your own hands,
Bread you received from the hands of the one you love,
The one who loves you.
Given to you, and to all those around the table,
Given for your nourishment.
Given so that everyone would have their fill,
Given to you, one piece among many
Given by the one you love, and who loves you…
Do you remember?
The one who loves you took the form of a human, the form of a slave…
The one who loves you takes this cup.
Do you remember?
This cup, which has been blessed,
Blessed like his life,
a life for others,
a life of healing and blessing,
a life of casting out demons, and dining at the wrong tables,
a life of restoring sight to blind eyes,
and the ability to walk to broken legs…
Do you remember?
This life was poured out, like a cup…
Poured out by hatred, poured out by fear…
Poured out for you,
Poured out in love, poured out with forgiveness…
Poured out like water on a baby’s head.
Poured out like a river washing off dusty bodies and dusty hearts.
Poured out, by the one who loves you.
Do you remember?
This bread, this cup, which have been given—
Given to you, given for you,
Given to all, given for all,
For everyone around this table,
For everyone around every table.
Given so that you might be healed,
so that you might get off the soul transplant list.
Given so that you might learn to give,
given so that you might learn to live.
Do you remember? Do you remember?
You were there, and you, and you… I remember. I promise.
You were there at the breaking and the giving, at the sharing and the pouring out.
You were there eating this meal, you were there at the table.
You were there with the one you loved, and who loved you.
You were there with the one with whom you were vying for position,
And with the one who betrayed you,
And with the one whom you betrayed.
You were there, sharing the bread for your journey,
And listening to those words:
Do.
Do this.
Do this in remembrance.
Do this in remembrance of me.