THE THREE SUPPERS
In
his book, The Life and Times of Jesus the Messiah, Alfred Edersheim
mentions how the three great Suppers in Jesus’ life strategically
happened at the end of particular stages in His public ministry. The
first was during the feeding of the five thousand, all of them Jews,
which ended His Galilean ministry. The second was the feeding of the
four thousand which, Edersheim writes, was believed to have been
composed of “semi-Gentile inhabitants of that district and its
neighborhood,” having happened near Greek territory. The last occasion
is the Paschal feast He shared with His Apostles before He finally
embraced the fulfillment of His entire mission.
We can find so much comfort in the lovely thought that Jesus would
always leave His followers with the food that would strengthen them in
their pilgrim way. Matthew 15:32 says, “Now Jesus called His disciples
to Himself and said, ‘I have compassion on the multitude, because they
have now continued with Me three days and have nothing to eat. And I do
not want to send them away hungry, lest they faint on the way.’” This
clearly fulfills our understanding of the Eucharist as the “source and
summit of our Christian life.” It is meant to strengthen and sustain us,
as it satisfies our immortal hunger for the living
bread, Jesus Christ. Ultimately, it also enables us to share the same
meal in the heavenly banquet in His Kingdom.
This is one theology that can really help us understand the Supper that
we always share in the Eucharist. It should challenge us to appreciate
it more deeply and change our attitude according to how Christ has
intended it to be. May the strength it provides truly fill us with the
energy that we need so as not to “faint on the way,” but walk forward
all the days of our life. Fr. Sandy Enhaynes
Reflection Question: How well do you understand the significance of the Eucharist?
Thank You, Lord Jesus, for giving us Your Body and Blood in the Eucharist to accompany us in our earthly journey.
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