Coming to the Table

Psalm 116:12-19

12What shall I return to the Lord for all his bounty to me?

13I will lift up the cup of salvation and call on the name of the Lord,

14I will pay my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people.

15Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his faithful ones.

16O Lord, I am your servant; I am your servant, 

the child of your serving girl. You have loosed my bonds.

17I will offer to you a thanksgiving sacrifice and call on the name of the Lord.

18I will pay my vows to the Lord in the presence of all his people,

19in the courts of the house of the Lord, in your midst, O Jerusalem. 

Praise the Lord!

Reflection

Photo Creative Commons Licence. by Ian Britton

There can be little doubt

That what we do this night

Bears little resemblance

To the meal Jesus shared with his disciples

It is not a Passover meal

And is not meant to be

Where we sit at a table

They probably lay on the floor

Where we meet in a public place of worship

They probably met in someone’s home

Where we live in a time of perceived peace in this country

They were living as a conquered people

Where what we are doing lies at the centre of our faith

They were being introduced to new rituals

Yet here tonight in this place

As poor as the resemblance may be

We do as Jesus commanded his followers to do

We lift a cup in thanksgiving

And remember Jesus by eating the bread

It is a reflection of an ancient ritual

That we do not fully comprehend

Just as the High Priest offered portions

Of the lamb that had been sacrificed to the people

So Jesus offers himself to us

So come to the Table with hearts held high

Gather around for it is Jesus who invites you here

The Peace of the Lord be with you all

And also with you

As you gather around the table

I invite you to share the peace