Holy Thursday And The Event Of The Mystical Supper

Last updated on: April 14, 2022 at 2:50 am by Henry Karlson

Holy Thursday And The Event Of The Mystical Supper 2022-04-14T02:50:16-05:00 Henry Karlson

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Ted: Mystical Supper Icon / flickr

When Jesus celebrated the Mystical Supper (the Last Supper), those with him did not understand all that was going on. This should not be surprising, because, despite their close proximity to him, they consistently showed their inability to understand all that he said and did. This is why it was only in hindsight, after Jesus’ death and resurrection, were they able to reflect upon it and realize its significance. They probably understood Jesus was connecting himself and what he was doing with Passover, but they would have been unable to appreciate the connection. That he said that they would later repeat what he did in memory of him probably would have led them to realize Jesus was trying to make something special with the event because they understood religious remembrance as being more than mere recollection of the past, but an encounter and experience of power of the event which is remembered:

Rather, “remembrance” is a genuine, creative power, existing in the world, and our co-remembrance is an entry into that power – a real, ontological communion with it. Plato also discusses the anamnesis on the ideas, the heavenly prototypes of being that the soul beholds before it descends to earth, but this notion of prototype remains at the level of abstract universality. Here, however, the power of anamnesis relates to a concrete event that occurred not in an abstract heaven, some other concrete reality, but in the world, alive in all of life’s fullness.[1]

Jesus gave himself over to those who were with him at that supper, giving them more than just some physical bread; he gave them the heavenly bread, the bread of life. What they ate was more than his physical body and blood, but the fullness his own being, which is why it can be said to be the bread of heaven. We, in our liturgical repetition of the event of the Mystical Supper likewise are able to receive what they received, that is, Christ himself, and in doing so, we partake of grace after grace thanks to the eucharistic gifts given to us by Christ.

When reflecting upon the event, when reliving it and re-experiencing it for ourselves, we must remember many things were connected to it, each of which might be a part of our own experience. This is why Paul made sure we kept in mind that the Mystical Supper happened on the night on which Jesus was betrayed:

For I received from the Lord what I also delivered to you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it, and said, “This is my body which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” In the same way also the cup, after supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes (1 Cor. 11:23-26 RSV).

The Last Supper was an event in history. What we read in the Gospels was not some story created for the sake of a new mystery religion. If we pay attention, it is clear that Paul, despite the way some approach him, did not ignore or forget the historical Christ. His thought always presupposes the historical background from which his theological insights emerge. While he would sometimes include historical reflections in his theological reflections, such as we find here, he mostly takes it all for granted. Paul did not think he had to repeat what the faithful already knew and accepted; rather he discussed those points which were needed to deal with the controversies of his time, those elements which were necessary to make and then develop his theological points. And so, just as Paul found it important to connect the Christian celebration of the eucharist to a particular event, we should likewise remember in all our celebrations that the Last Supper was a real event, one which was intimately connected to Christ’s passion (which, of course, the Gospels indicate).

Jesus knew what Judas had done, and that after the supper, Judas was going to lead the authorities to him. Jesus accepted what was about to happen as a continuation of and fulfillment of the kenotic love which led him, as the Word of God, to join with creation in the incarnation. He did not desire what was to come, but he accepted it; he let his creation seize him and use him as an object of scorn and hate so that through its actions, sin could come to its rightful conclusion and be overcome by his love. Thus, while we logically distinguish everything which happened, in reality, the betrayal, the celebration of the Last Supper, the capture, torture, execution, and ascension of Jesus were interconnected and formed one metaphysical event. It is this event, and not just parts of it, which we experience when we remember Christ in the eucharist. It is a metaphysical event which continues to penetrate into time, and all that happened in that event, embraces the time in which it is remembered, allowing all elements of the event itself to have their place in our remembrance of it. In this way, Jesus continues to give himself over to us and the world even as Jesus continues to be betrayed by many of those who claim to love and embrace him. It was also on this night that Peter said he would follow Jesus to the very end, and yet also turned and ran away, hiding his association from Jesus so as not to be taken in by secular authorities. This shows us that it is not just the betrayal we see in Judas, but also the infidelity of us all, which can be and should be seen enacted in the event, Likewise, through the event, we are shown that Jesus still accepts and welcomes us to his mystical banquet even though he knows what we might do. For he is willing to forgive us because of his great love for us, a love which is greater than our sin (which is why Peter was easily welcomed back, and if he did not despair, Judas could have been as well).

The Mystical Supper, the Last Supper, was an event like the Passover, an event which is to be commemorated in such a way we not only recollect what happened, but we re-experience it, showing that key events in time contain within them a transcendence which allows the event to be experienced time and time again. It is always the same event which is remembered, and so participated in each and every time it is remembered; this is not to say our experience of the event, our way of participation, is the same as it was in its historical reality. Obviously, it is not. Rather, each and every time, it will offer us something different, something which if we embrace, can make us greater, so that the more we participate in that metaphysical event, the more we will be transformed by it, finding ourselves growing in stature thanks to the graces given to us from the bread of life.

[1] Sergius Bulgakov, The Eucharistic Sacrifice. Trans. Mark Roosien (Notre Dame, IN: University of Notre Dame Press, 2021), 12.

Stay in touch! Like A Little Bit of Nothing on Facebook.
If you liked what you read, please consider sharing it with your friends and family!

Previous Post

April 12, 2022

Mercy And Diversity Help Communities Flourish

Next Post

April 15, 2022 Forgiveness From The Cross

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Abortion Abraham abuse Aesthetics AI Aliens Ambrose Ancestors and Everything Andrew Angels Animals Anne Anthony Antisemitism apologetics Apophatic Apostle John Aquinas Artificial Intelligence Asanga Ascension Asceticism Assumption Atheism Attachment Augustine Authority Avarice Balthasar Baptism Beauty Biden birthright citizenship Bishops Black History Books Buddhism Bulgakov Byzantine Calendar C.S. Lewis Calcidius Catholic Catholicism Catholicism Celibacy Charity Chastity children Chrismation Christ Christmas Christology Church Climate Change Common Good Communion Confession Confirmation Conscience Constantine conventions conversion councils Covid Creation Cross Dead Death Death Penalty Debate Deception Demagogues Demons Desert Monks Desert Mothers Desire destruction development Dialogue Dignity Dionsyius Dionysius Discipline Diversity Division Doctor Who doctrine dogma Dormition Dualism Easter Easter Series Ecumenical Councils Ecumenism Education Election Empathy Environment Error Eschatology eschaton Eternity Ethics Eucharist Evangelism Eve Evil evolution Faeries Faith Fear femininity Ficino Florence Florensky Folktale Fools Forgiveness Freedom Future gender Gentile Gentiles Glory Gnostic God gods Good Samaritan Goodness Gospel Government Grace Great Fast Guns Hate healing Health Heaven Hell Hellenism Heresy Hierarchy Hildegard Hinduism History Holiness Holy Spirit Holy Week Hope Horror Human rights humanity Humility hypocrisy ICE icon icons Identification Identity Idol II Nicea Immigration incarnation Individualism Informal Reflections Inklings Intention Inter-Religious Interfaith Internet Interpretation Intrinsic evil Irenaeus Islam Israel Jacob Jerome Jesus Jews John Chrysostom John of Damascus John the Baptist Joseph Judaism justice Justification kenosis Kindnesss Kingdom of God Kingdom of Heaven Law Law of Moses Lazarus Leaf by Niggle Lent Lenten Reflection Liberation Theology Lies Life Listen Literature Liturgy locutions Logic Logos Love Marriage Martyrs Mary Mass Maximos The Confessor Meanness Meditation Mercy Middle Path Migrants Mind Miracles Miriam Morals Moses Movies Music Muslims Myths Names Nationalism Native Americans New Year Nicea Nicholas Nothing Novatian Obedience Occam's Razor Ordination Origen Original Sin Orthodox orthopraxis Pagans Palamas Palm Sunday Paradise Paschaltide Paul Peace Pentecost person Peter piety PKD Plato pluralism Plurality Poem Poetry Poiltics Politics Poor Pope Pope Francis Pope Leo XIV Post Office Prayer Pride Pro-life Prodigal Son propaganda Prophecy Prophets Providence Putin Racism Reading Reason Reflection Refugees Relationships Religion Religion Series Religious Liberty Repent Republicans Rest Resurrection Rich Rites Russia Sacraments Saints Salvation Salvian Santa Science Scripture Self-Giving Sexuality Sibyl Sick Silence Sin Singlehood Social Justice Society Sodom Solovyov Speculations Spiritual Reflection St. Cyril of Alexandria St. Justin Martyr Suffering Sunday of the Paralytic Man Sunday of the Samaritan Woman Superhero Supreme Court Teaching Technology Thanksgiving The Father the Universe Theological Reflection Theology Theosis Theotokos Thomas Timaeus Time Tolerenace Tolkien Tradition Transfiguration Trinity Trump Truth Uncategorized Unity Universities USCCB Value Vatican II Vegetarian Vices Violence Virtue Vocations War Water Welcome Wisdom Womanhood Women Work World View Worship Writing Zacchaeus

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz