19 Aug: A Table of Remembrance
[Jesus] took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. Luke 22:19
Scripture Reading: Luke 22:14–23
On December 6, 1907, a massive explosion tore through a coal mine in West Virginia. The fallout was devastating: roughly 360 miners died, leaving behind around 250 widows and a thousand kids without their dads.
It was an absolute tragedy, but historians actually point to the memorial service for those men as the real starting point for Father’s Day in the US. What started as profound grief eventually grew into a lasting celebration.
It’s wild how the darkest moments can plant the seeds for something beautiful. We see the ultimate version of that with the crucifixion.
On paper, humanity executing its Creator is the bleakest event imaginable. But the night before it happened, Jesus was already setting up how we’d remember it. He took the standard Passover meal and totally repurposed it. Luke captured the moment like this: “And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:19).
Every time we take communion today, we’re doing exactly what He asked. We’re looking back at the sheer cost of our rescue, while celebrating the life we got in return. Charles Wesley nailed the feeling perfectly in his hymn: “Amazing love! How can it be that Thou, my God, shouldst die for me?”
By: Paul Olguin
Go deeper on: A Table of Remembrance
Reflect & Pray
How often do you find yourself just going through the motions when taking communion? What are some ways to keep your focus on the cross?
Father, when I come to the memorial table, help me to remember why my forgiveness was so costly, and help me to celebrate Your great, awesome love.