Today is the 19th day of Lent, a 40 day season of spiritual reflection, repentance, and renewal. During these 40 days we’ll explore the prayer life of Jesus, walking chronologically through every mention of Jesus’ prayer life and prayers in the Gospels.
Here is today’s prayer event: 20 When it was evening, he reclined at table with the twelve. 21And as they were eating, he said, “Truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” 22And they were very sorrowful and began to say to him one after another, “Is it I, Lord?” 23He answered, “He who has dipped his hand in the dish with me will betray me. 24The Son of Man goes as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed! It would have been better for that man if he had not been born.” 25Judas, who would betray him, answered, “Is it I, Rabbi?” He said to him, “You have said so.” 26 Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” 27And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink of it, all of you, 28for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. 29I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.” (Matt. 26:20-29 ESV)
What a stunning contrast–Jesus reveals his betrayer but then blesses the bread and gives thanks for the cup! Here is another example of Jesus blessing–in this case, giving thanks. Jesus has every reason to complain, to groan, and to grieve. Yet, he blesses the bread and gives thank for the cup.
Jesus was following the prescribed routine associated with the Passover Meal. By custom, he was supposed to bless the bread and give thanks for the cup. Yet this scene demonstrates how habits and traditions like “saying grace” or “saying the blessing” can be critical. Especially in difficult times, the simple habit of still “thanking God for this meal” can be formative.
Do you “say grace” at every meal? Why? Why not? How could you be more intentional about this practice so that it cultivates a more thankful spirit within you? When you do “say grace,” what do you say? What other words/phrases might make this habitual prayer more formative?
[image: http://www.flickr.com/photos/pepesanta/4367204563/]
My work has reached a fevered pitch lately — the reason I have been absent from this blog and a failure at Lent. I am traveling on business today which has provided a bit of forced downtime allowing me to be here now. At the end of a particularly long and stressful day last week, I came home just as dinner was being served and the peace that came over me as I held hands with my sweet family and listened while 8-year old Wren blessed our meal was truly cathartic. I am reminded of just how many times in the Bible that joy is associated with gratitude. To stop and say “thank you” seems to be one of the surest paths to contentment. I love to ask Larry MacKenzie, “How are you?” because I know without a doubt his response will be “Grateful.” That’s what I want to be; grateful in all things.
Jay, I love your description of the peace that descended upon you at the dinner prayer. That was a precious image. And you know what? The good thing about Lent is that it is 40 days long! We still have 3 1/2 weeks, so even if you feel you have “failed”, it is never too late to make an offering to the Lord. You know what is even better? We have 365 days every year to make a sacrifice, add a practice, read a scripture, show mercy when it is undeserved, thank God for daily blessings… Lent is just a time when many people are more mindful in their practices. So don’t think about Lent as an “all or nothing” venture; just pick one thing you can take away or add just for today that will serve God in some way.
In response to today’s thought:
In my family growing up, we prayed for every meal without fail– in private, in public, wherever and whenever. As a preacher’s kid, I constantly felt like everyone was looking at me and at my family in everything we did, including in restaurants. It made me feel “other”, and along with the other strict rules the church placed on me, it was not a positive feeling at all. No dancing, no Christmas carols, no mention of Jesus’s birth at Christmas or resurrection at Easter, no, no, no…
So when I started finding my own faith and sifted through the practices and rules of my childhood, praying at every meal was something I didn’t feel was necessary. I have morning prayers on my own with breakfast and afternoon prayers and evening prayers with my children, and we always have a lot to be thankful for. We usually only pray at dinner on special occasions. I don’t have a problem with it, we just haven’t done it consistently at that time. I love praying with my children, especially Nicholas, because he thanks God for everything and anything. It is sweet and reminds me that everything does come from God.
Jay and Cathlyn, thanks so much for sharing these meal memories. Very powerful.
We pray at every meal – as a family, even when we are out in public. But regretfully I don’t pray as near as often as I feel I should when I am on my own, alone in my office, where I eat most evening meals. But it is a helpful reminder of how gracious God is to me.
Jay your story reminded me of the Lord’s Supper at the church we worshipped with in California. I so looked forward to the quiet we experienced each week when we took it. A peaceful calm would descend upon us each week (we did not sing when the emblems were passed). I do like the practice of singing, but occassionally I miss the quiet.
On Sundays, my sister, brother-in-law, and two nieces come to our house for lunch. The girls pitch in and help with the cooking, and we have an old fashioned lunch, capped off by lingering at the table for leisurely, long conversation. Almost always, the younger niece has said our prayer. When she was much younger, her prayers tended to be sweet lists of nearby things (such as each food dish on the table or each person sitting there) for which she was thanking God. As she has grown older, she has gradually shifted focus from the immediate and tangible to the abstract–freedom, safety, God’s love and forgiveness. She petitions for children who are abused or neglected, for the people of Ghana, for people who don’t know God. it is a blessing to hear her pray before our meals, and at that moment I am brought back to overwhelming gratitude not only for our food but also for the blessing of family.
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