We continue our family-oriented resources for worship at home during Holy Week in our continuing collaboration with Spill the Beans, Fischy Music and Rev Gayle Taylor. These resources were chosen and prepared by Rev Barbara Ann Sweetin from Forfar East and Old Parish Church.
While we usually focus on the last supper on Thursday during this week, we are following the events in Mark's gospel in their order there, and to the next main scene in the story which is this event. We will have other thoughts about Maundy Thursday later in the week.
Reading
Read together from your own Bible (or use the text below from the NIV) Mark, chapter 14, verses 22 to 26.
While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying, “Take it; this is my body.”
Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and they all drank from it.
“This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many,” he said to them. “Truly I tell you, I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”
When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
Retelling
Jesus and his friends were sitting around the table having some supper together. They were chatting about what had been going on that day and some whispered to each other about the how strange things seem to be that night. Jesus picked up the loaf of bread that was on the table and he prayed to God and said thanks! He then passed it around his friends with each person tearing off a piece of bread and eating it. He told them ‘this is my body’ but his friends were struggling to understand what that meant and no-one wanted to ask him.
He then took the goblet of wine and once again he thanked God and as it was passed between them all they all took a drink from it. Not very hygienic if you ask me!!! He then told them this was his blood!!! His blood that was poured out for many! His friends really didn’t know what to make of this either they were so confused!
Bread for his body? Wine for his blood? and then Jesus finished off saying that he wouldn’t drink again until he was in heaven? What on earth was Jesus talking about? But no-one dared ask him to explain it further – this was a strange night indeed!
Everyone sang a hymn together and then it was time to go out to the mount of Olives – Jesus friends hoped this was the last of the strange events that night!
Praise
You could read or sing "Jesus calls us here to meet him", there is a video with accompaniment provided here.
Words: John L Bell & Graham Maule
Jesus calls us here to meet him
as, through word and song and prayer,
We affirm God’s promised presence
where his people live and care.
Praise the God who keeps his promise;
praise the Son who calls us friends;
praise the Spirit who, among us,
to our hopes and fears attends.
Jesus calls us to confess him
Word of Life and Lord of all,
sharer of our flesh and frailness
saving all who fail or fall.
Tell his holy human story;
tell his tales that all may hear;
tell the world that Christ in glory
came to earth to meet us here.
Jesus calls us to each other:
vastly different though we are;
creed and colour, class and gender
neither limit nor debar.
Join the hand of friend and stranger;
join the hands of age and youth;
join the faithful and the doubter
in their common search for truth.
Jesus calls us to his table
rooted firm in time and space,
where the church in earth and heaven
finds a common meeting place.
Share the bread and wine, his body;
share the love of which we sing;
share the feast for saints and sinners
hosted by our Lord and King.
All-Age Prayer
When hope seems gone and the future broken,
may we tell your story.
When the hungry need fed and injustice is rife,
may we tell your story.
When people are suffering and dying,
may we tell your story.
Lord we don’t want to retell your story just in church
for your story is the hope of the world,
this bread the means of a new world,
the wine the promise for all,
the table a meeting place for all.
May your stories be the ones we tell
that plants hope and sows longing
into the fabric of the world.
So we come as we are, O Lord Jesus,
with all the worry we have,
the ability to change sides so easily,
the fear of the future and the hurt of the past
with what is broken in us
and what is a burden to us.
We come as we are with all that we have done.
Renew us;
refocus our vision;
dare us to believe;
call us anew
and name us your body in the world.
So be it.
Amen.
Fischy Video / Activity
Supper
Set the table for your family or set a picnic on your floor. Then make some sandwiches and place them on your table along with a jug of blackcurrant juice. As you eat and drink name and recall as many stories of Jesus that you can.
Bread Making
If you are bread makers make a loaf for your meal tonight or try your hand making unleavened bread (there are plenty of recipes online) and failing that try some pancake making instead. As you are making the bread talk to God and bring to God in your prayers all the things that are troubling you but also the things for which you are grateful.
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