Fragments of Life

And when the hour came, he reclined at table, and the apostles with him. And he said to them, “I have earnestly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he said, “Take this, and divide it among yourselves. For I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” And he took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the new covenant in my blood. (Luke 22:14-20 ESV).

One of the places we have visited each time we are in Washing DC is the National Cathedral. As you can see from the picture I’ve attached to today’s devotional, it is extravagantly appointed with stained glass throughout the worship area. Actually this photo does not do justice to the beauty that cascades throughout the expansive room as the sun shines through the perfectly placed fragments of colored glass forming each mosaic. It is amazing that such artistry can be produced from mere fragments of glass, but it is. This provides me with the basis for a word of encouragement to each of us today. The Bible details the continuous fragmentation of life and relationships throughout the stories of each of the books. There is Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, Noah and his sons, Abraham and Lot, Sarah and Hagar, Jacob and Esau, Joseph and his brothers all in just the first book of Genesis; and, then Miriam and Moses, David and Absalom, Jew and Gentile, and even Paul and Barnabas. Soon the Christian world will remember the brokenness that brought Jesus to the cross, so that we could be freed from our wretched slavery to sin (cf. John 8:34-36). Our reading today shows us the brokenness in the symbolism of the Last Supper as Jesus broke the bread for distribution to the disciples. We all “break bread” into fragments and call it “celebration” when we have our own observances of Communion. I wonder if we understand the full significance of what we are doing. It is so much more than mere liturgy or practice. In mimicking the example of Jesus we should be able to remember the great price Jesus paid for our freedom from sin and eternal life. What was once just a broken, fragmented life is more than restored. It is now joined together in a beautiful portrait of freedom and purpose. Lent is a good time to mourn our brokenness and find our wholeness in Christ!