It was a dark and stormy night

I grew up reading the Peanuts comic strip. At least in the earlier part of my childhood the walls of my bedroom were adorned with pictures of Snoopy. I particularly liked the way he danced, his feet flying, his ears flopping in reckless abandon. Among the many story lines in which Snoopy was involved you may remember the one where he is trying to write the great American novel. Over and over again, he begins his novel with the hackneyed cliché, "It was a dark and stormy night." It was a dark and stormy night. What sort of story begins with those words?

We might say that the story of our Lord’s Passion and Death begins with those words… begins in darkness and tumult. Today is the only day in the church year I can think of when our gathering as the holy people of God absolutely should be at night. This story begins at night. It was at night, probably at the evening Passover meal, that Jesus instituted the Sacrament of his Body and Blood. So the church’s collect for Maundy Thursday reminds us. And the Scriptures clearly tell us that Jesus’ agony in the Garden of Gethsemane took place at night. Yet neither of these particular events—the institution of the Lord’s supper or the agony in the garden—is the way in which Paul identifies this night in his letter to the Corinthians. For Paul this is indeed a dark and stormy night. This night is the night when Jesus was betrayed. The betrayal, Judas’ betrayal, is the theme, the fundamental event, that defines this night. Judas’ betrayal is where the story of this night and these next three days begins.

It was a dark and stormy night. It was the night of Jesus’ betrayal. The Last Supper, which was really the first Supper of the Lord, was celebrated in darkness as a storm of unimaginable destruction was brewing. It was the night of Jesus’ betrayal. Jesus knew that. He chose to celebrate this first supper, to institute this sacred meal, amid the context of betrayal. Betrayal is how this night begins. The Supper of the Lord is Jesus’ response to human betrayal. And as we, in our mind’s eye, focus on this image of betrayal, it may be startling to be reminded that Judas was there at the supper. Judas was included. Jesus sat at table and said, "This is my body that is for you." And he said it to Judas. Powerful words. Right then and there at the table Jesus offers himself as spiritual food for his disciples, including Judas. In a sense he transfers his very body to them. In the sharing of that meal his hands in the world became their hands in the world. His vision, his voice, his mission, his proclamation became theirs. His communion with God, his promise of eternal life in union with God became their communion with God, their promise of eternal life. This is my body that is for you. Even you, Judas.

This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Jesus doesn’t talk about the cup representing some future, potential fulfillment. Nor is it just an offering of something that is available if we earn it, if we want it, if we are worthy of it. Jesus doesn’t seem to worry about if and how exactly the wine becomes blood for us. He just says it is. To drink of that cup is to become the new covenant. We just have to be there at the table. Being there is what matters. In fact, Jesus seems particularly eager to ensure that even Judas be there. All of the gospels report that Jesus shared the bread and wine before Judas left the room.

You are my Body. You are the New Covenant in my Blood. That was the message Jesus taught, that was the gift that Jesus gave, at the First Supper on the night he was betrayed. In fact, Jesus said those words, gave that gift, to the very one who betrayed him. It was on that dark and stormy night of his betrayal that Jesus instituted the sacrament of his Body and Blood. It was on the one particular night that would be marked by the most heinous of human betrayals that Jesus acted to include everyone in the Body of Christ. In fact, it seems that Jesus particularly wanted his betrayer to share in the Last Supper. Perhaps even today it is those who betray him whom Jesus most eagerly desires to come to his table.

Sermon Index
Comments are welcome.  Send to krisorr@att.net