Look Up by Looking Down

Holy Thursday

April 2, 2015

Mark 14:22-24

Look Up by Looking Down

In the name of the Father and of † the Son and of the Holy Spirit.

Perhaps you've always wanted to travel to an exotic location. Or better yet, live there. Maybe it's the rolling green of Ireland. Or the culture of Paris. Or the blue water and coral of Tahiti. Maybe you'll get there. But even if you get there to visit, you'll still have to go back home. And even if you manage to buy a place in Dublin or a spot with a view of Eiffel Tower or end up on one of those gorgeous huts on the blue water of Tahiti, then what? How long can it last?

We look at heaven in a similar way. It's the place you want to go to and live. We hear it's pretty wonderful, and we may even imagine what it'll be like, like we might look up at a postcard from a place we wish we could see it in person.

But all this dreaming might lead us to miss what is right in front of us. Jesus says to focus on things above, not on earthly things, but He doesn't intended for us to have our heads in the clouds. He wants you to receive His richness that He sends down from heaven above to the you below.

So we look up by looking down at His supper table. And we no longer have to imagine heaven; it's right before our eyes: His body under bread and His blood under wine. Heaven is where Christ chooses to be found, and in the Sacrament of Holy Communion He unhides Himself and we find Him through His true body and blood. This is the Bread of Life that feeds us and makes us alive. His real presence is His promise delivered to His people. And so we pray, "Thy kingdom come," and it does through the Holy Supper.

Even in the most beautiful places this Earth can offer, you'll still get hungry and sick. You'll still get old and lonely. And you'll still die.

Wherever you may travel and live in this world, intensely beautiful or painfully ordinary, through eating and drinking His body and blood you are in His kingdom right now and always.

While they were eating, He took some bread, and after a blessing He broke it, and gave it to them, and said, “Take it; this is My body.” And when He had taken a cup and given thanks, He gave it to them, and they all drank from it. And He said to them, “This is My blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many. (Mark 14:22-24)

Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst.

Amen. Amen.