Holy Week Celebration #2 - Lord's Supper
We celebrate communion in faith communities, but in many communities, children are not encouraged to receive communion. Yet participating in this ritual helps them to learn the story, and gives deeper meaning to what they observe in church. By doing this ritual during Holy Week, families can enact this important part of the story of Jesus.
Read It
Matthew 26:26-28 26 While they were eating, Jesus took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it he broke it, gave it to the disciples, and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” 27 Then he took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you; 28 for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. -NRSV |
Do It
The Lord’s Supper
The Lord’s Supper
- Collect supplies: Grape juice, bread. Place them on the table, either one cup and loaf for everyone, or smaller glasses and plates for each person.
- Read the scripture. If you celebrated the Seder, talk about how after Jesus ate the Seder meal with his disciples, he taught us a new way to remember the way God has saved us.
- Break the bread. Jesus told the disciples this was his body. That’s because right after he ate this meal with them, he was taken away. Some people didn’t like what he was saying, the way that he was teaching people to live, and they didn’t want him to live. So they took him away, and he died (decide how graphic it’s appropriate to get with your child!). There will be some good news in this story in a few days (give them a hint of what’s to come if needed), but tonight we remember that Jesus got hurt very badly and died, and we thank Jesus for doing all of that so that we could learn how to follow God and have new life in God.
- Show your child how to dip the bread in the grape juice and eat it. If you want, recite the words, “The body of Christ, the blood of Christ, shed for you.”
Pray It
Thank you, God, for sending your son Jesus. Thank you for being willing to die so that we can have new life in you. Help us to follow you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Thank you, God, for sending your son Jesus. Thank you for being willing to die so that we can have new life in you. Help us to follow you. In Jesus’ name, Amen.