Readings for the Day:
Sermon:
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C.S. Lewis' The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe takes the Pevensie children down a hard wintery road with Mr. and Mrs. Beaver. They walk the same path that all the creatures in Narnia have for some time, ever since the White Witch Jadis took over.
As the snow starts to melt, the Pevensies arrive at a camp. There they see the Lion Aslan, whose presence has caused Spring to finally appear. It is a joyous moment as all prepare for battle to end the White Witch's reign of terror in Narnia.
The Pevensies' lost brother, Edmund, has also returned from the thralls of Jadis. Unfortunately, she wants him back. Thankfully Aslan has a discussion with her, and they make an arrangement the witch is satisfied with.
After this, the feast and celebration continue. Yet there is a tinge of sadness that the Pevensies notice in Aslan. They all enjoy their meal, yet something continues to gnaw at them.
What they don't know is the deal Aslan has made. In return for Edmund, He has given His own life to the witch. On this very eve, He will surely die.
Whatever Gospel we read for the Last Supper, the sense is the same. This is their preparation for the Passover. It is a reminder of how God raised the Israelites out of slavery in Egypt so many eons ago. It is a holy observance that celebrates the good that God has done for His chosen people.
Yet in this moment of togetherness and remembrance, there is a tinge of sadness. We can sense it through all the Evangelists. That sorrow comes from the knowledge of what is ahead, something Jesus knows He must do. It is the mourning of the death of our Lord in the Crucifixion, when Jesus will give His life as a ransom for us all. That time is at hand. Nothing can prevent it now.
This too is what this night is about. There is a joy in coming together. There is the unity from the washing of feet depicted in John's Gospel. There is a special significance to the Eucharist on this day when the Lord commanded us to keep this feast.
But we also know what is ahead: Good Friday. That day is coming. It is inevitable.
Today holds the tension of joy and sorrow of our Faith. It is at the crux of the Triduum, the three-day remembrance we have of the Cross and Resurrection. It is at the core of our belief. Today begins our reminder of what Jesus went through to bring us all here together in this moment. It is when we experience the totality of God's love for us.