Lent 2023 – Day 36 – Luke 22 v 1-30

Welcome to our Daily reflections for Lent.

We have provided a number of ways of using these reflections.

• You can listen to it in podcast style by clicking on the first audio file. (approx 18 minutes);
• You can listen to the reflection and the prayers with a shortened length for personal prayer (approx 6 minutes);
• You can read your own version of the Bible and then listen to the reflection, play the hymn in the embedded YouTube clip and then listen to the prayer section;
• You can choose to just read through it and ignore the audio files; or
• any combination of the above.

However you choose to use them we hope you will find them helpful and thought provoking.

Full Audio of today’s reflection.

Read Luke Chapter 22 verses 1-30. In your own preferred version. The audio uses the NIV.

Link to the Bible Gateway NIV version (Opens in a new tab)

Audio of reflection and hymn only

“In the same way…”

The obvious theme for today is our celebration of Holy Communion. Jesus takes the ordinary bread and wine and in this moment places a responsibility on all of us to remember him every time we eat or drink.

I have to confess that it was painful to me that, during the pandemic, we were not able to take communion. A fact really brought home to me when we shared the first communion after such a long time without. As I looked at the small wafer in my hand I started to feel tears form in my eyes as we once again ate and drank together in that act of shared communion.

Although I love the Church such a fuss was made of preventing the sharing of communion. Offers of watching someone else take communion and somehow participate in the act rang hollow. Theological problems were cited as to why the internet could not be used but never explained. We are expected to be given the opportunity to share in communion once a month and yet for 18 months that was too difficult to fix.I am delighted to say that we are in a period where online communion is being trialed and although we have not done this ourselves yet. I hope and pray that it will be continued beyond this trial period for those who want to share together with their friends and fellowship in this most wonderful of acts.

I do not have a problem with how we celebrate communion and love the liturgies that we use to do so. However, once in a while my rebellious side, and I still have one, would say to the learned theologians and experts in liturgy, where in the gospels does Jesus say – only after a suitably ordained person has said the appropriate words of blessing over the ordinary things of communion should you do this to remember me. I don’t want to argue about it or even particularly change it but I have to be honest and say sometimes it really does wind me up.

Personally I feel that, in this act, Jesus asks us each and every time we eat and drink to be thankful for the good things God has given to us and to keep him at the forefront of our minds every day of our lives. Doing so in the act of meeting our most necessary and simplest needs, to sustain our bodies in their need for food and drink. In doing so we also meet our spiritual need for God’s presence in our daily lives. 

Hymn: Singing the Faith –  581 – “Come my table is a meeting place”

Contemplation Words

“In the same way…”

Let us pray together.

Contemplative Prayer

Think of the words in order to understand context and meaning, Feel the meaning of the words with and in your heart, Pray, using the words, for yourself or others. With only a name and without explaining the reasons or pre-defining any answers. Listen for God’s voice in the quiet of your prayers. Pray using your own prayers or one of those which have been prepared below.

Twitter Prayer

Loving God, we thank you for the gifts you give to us of food and drink which sustain our bodies so that we can live our lives in your service. Amen

Full Prayer

Lord Jesus, as we read the gospel today we remember that with your own precious blood you have sealed God’s new covenant with us. Restoring that relationship with him that we so often ignore or neglect. We pray that as we kneel at your table and accept the simple gifts of bread and wine we will always remember that gift.