The Eucharist
Jesus' last meal with his disciples has become very important for Christians today. Using Mark's gospel explains the importance of the meal for Jesus and his disciples.
Explain how Christian's may interpret this meal and celebrate it today.
The "Last Supper" in Mark's gospel is actually called the "lord's supper." Jesus and his disciples had their supper in a St Marks mothers house. They were there to celebrate the pass over feast. A lamb had been sacrificed for them to eat.
Jesus had instructed his disciples to prepare the room where they were to dine. The upper room was to be occupied by Jesus and the disciples. This was a Jewish tradition.
Jesus then arrived with the disciples. As they got settled, Jesus said an unsettling prophecy.
"I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me- one of you that is sitting with us tonight." Many of them were in disbelief.
After he had told them this sad prophecy, Jesus then "broke the bread and shared it among his disciples and gave thanks to God."
Jesus then took out a cup and "gave it thanks and offered it to them."
After Jesus had shared his blood with his disciples he made another prophecy.
"I tell you the truth, I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it anew in the kingdom of God."
Jesus was saying that he was going to return to his father in Heaven for a brief period.
Jesus and his disciples then sung a hymn together followed by Jesus taking them to the Mt Olives.
In Mark's gospel, the "Lord's Supper," does not contain information that can be found in Luke's gospel the "Last Supper."
In Mark's gospel, Mark hasn't mentioned Jesus telling his disciples that it is more important to serve then to be served.
"But I am the one among you as the one who serves." Said Jesus.
Jesus in Mark's gospel the "Lord's Supper" serves his body and blood to his disciples.
"This is my body I give it to you, take it and eat it."
Jesus here is setting the example to his disciples and is teaching them a very special quality, which is to serve.
This quality has been inherited by Christian and Catholic priest today, as they serve Jesus' body and blood every mass.
Christians can look at ...
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"But I am the one among you as the one who serves." Said Jesus.
Jesus in Mark's gospel the "Lord's Supper" serves his body and blood to his disciples.
"This is my body I give it to you, take it and eat it."
Jesus here is setting the example to his disciples and is teaching them a very special quality, which is to serve.
This quality has been inherited by Christian and Catholic priest today, as they serve Jesus' body and blood every mass.
Christians can look at the "Last Supper" or the "Lord's Supper," and see that this mass was a chance for Jesus to say farewell to his disciples for a brief period. Also from this "Supper" they would learn a few qualities to pass down to the generations to come.
Now in the year 2000Ad, we rarely see people being willing to serve others. Many people see serving as a job, a job that they wouldn't like to do. Serving others has a reputation for being a lower class job.
Many people including Christians are forgetting that Jesus was from the lowest of classes. "Jesus was born in a stable." Jesus is the world's most respected man.
"There are 1,000,000,000 Christians world wide."
All of these Christians respect him and follow him. It is very sad to see that they cannot follow his message, which was.
"Serve one another as I have served you." Jesus also said in the gospel.
"To be the greatest, you must servant of all."
I can say that most of that 1,000,000,000 are not going to be the greatest.
In today's world, there are many lapsed Christians (Christians that do not practice their religion). So the Christian religion contains these members in their religion.
The Christian religion also has members that read about Christianity, but do not take actions.
It might be rare today, but there are Christians in the world that takes actions in their faith. They serve other people just as Jesus instructed them to do. Christians like this will be rewarded in Heaven.
"To be the very first in the kingdom of God, you have to be the one that comes the very last of all on Earth." In church we see church we see priest and alter boys and girls serving God and others. These people are following the example that Jesus showed to his disciples.
The "Last Supper" was also a time for Jesus to tell his disciples that he wasn't going to be with them forever. He wasn't going to be with them for three days now, but he knew that after he resurrected, he would be returning to heaven to be with his father forever.
Jesus' departure for now was like a test for his disciples. It was like a test for a herd of sheep to go on without their shepherd. The disciples were the sheep and Jesus was the shepherd.
Jesus' disciples would need a new leader a new shepherd. At the "Last Supper," Jesus makes it clear to all of his disciples what they are to do to become the leader or the greatest.
Today in the modern world the pope John Paul ii is the modern day leader of the Catholic Church.
Pope John Paul ii became pope in 1978. He is the first non-Italian pope since the 16th century. John Paul ii is like the shepherd of all the Catholics and we of course are the sheep. The pope of course is a descendent of St Peter who was handed pope by Jesus Christ in about 33AD.
St Peter was the first pope of the Catholic Church. Jesus left St Peter in charge even though he denied Jesus' existence three times. St Peter was the one of the first disciples. In Mark's gospel chapter 1 verses 14-20, Jesus chooses St Peter and his brother St Andrew to be the first disciples.
"He saw Simon and Andrew casting a net into the lake, for they were fishermen. "Come and follow me. For I will make you fishers of men." Said Jesus. At once they left their nets and followed him." Jesus would have probably been well pleased by this action.
St Peter and St Andrew left their homes and families and followed Jesus. They had never met Jesus before. They had both believed in him and this they had shown as they had a very important Catholic quality that is faith.
St Peter was the elder brother out of him and St Andrew. This as well was a factor that helped Jesus to elect a new leader of the Catholic Church.
Referring back to Mark's gospel we can see a lot of faith shown by St Peter. He does believe that Jesus is the Christ. He truly and rightfully believes that Jesus is the "Son of God."
"Who do you say that I am?" "You are the Christ." We have to remember that this was before Jesus had resurrected.
St Peter was also a follower of John the Baptist who was a relation of Jesus. He was a prophet he is seen at the beginning of Mark's gospel where he is preaching about the coming of Jesus Christ.
"Prepare the way for the lord. Make straight paths for the lord.
St John the Baptist has said to send St Andrew and St Peter to Jesus.
This hasn't been recorded in Marks gospel, but can be found in St Luke's gospel. This was due to St Mark only writing about Jesus' later life.
St Peter is shocked when Jesus breaks another prophecy, which concerns St Peter himself.
"Before the cock crows twice times you would had disowned me three times."
St Peters response to this is.
" Even if I have to die with you, I'll never disown you."
St Peter does disown him three times just as Jesus had told him.
In the garden of Gethsemane Jesus invites St Peter, St John and St James to join him in the garden.
Jesus asks them to keep watch and pray.
"Stay here and pray."
Jesus begins his prayers to his father God.
"Abba father all things are possible to thee; take this cup away from me. Yet not what I wilt, but what thou wilt."
From this prayer, Christian's today can discover that there was a close relationship between Jesus and God. He was frightened of his death and he wanted to be released from the crucifixion, but only if God was willing to except this to happen.
Jesus soon returned back to the three disciples that he had chosen to come with him. He found them a sleep when he had returned. This was the third time that this had happened.
"Are you still sleeping and resting? Enough! The hour has come. Look, the son of man is to be betrayed into the hands of sinners."
Judas arrives with the chief priest. He kissed Jesus. This was the signal that he had planned with the chief priest. Jesus was then arrested. Judas had betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver.
Conclusion
The Last Supper could interpret Christians today as they can as a celebration of mass. The body of Christ (Eucharist) is the centre of meant to be at the Christians lives. Without it, the Christian community wouldn't have enough to remember Jesus by. This is because we would only hear gospel readings about Jesus and we would only read about his miracles instead of experiencing the miracle of transformation between the bread into the body of Christ.
