The preparations are made in the city of Jerusalem,
in an upper room, for a meal,
the Passover meal.
The feet coming up the stairs are dusty,
they’ve travelled far for this meal,
the Passover meal.
The friends recline together weary and hungry
as the teacher begins the meal,
the Passover meal.
He looks them in the eye and tells them
that he has eagerly desired this meal,
the Passover meal.
The teacher takes a loaf and blessing it, he breaks it
saying, this is my body which is for you,
the Passover meal.
He does the same with the cup, blessing it, sharing it,
saying this is my blood, the new covenant,
the Passover meal.
The teacher tells them that one will betray him,
one whose hand is on the table
at the Passover meal.
The teacher ties a towel around himself
and with a basin, he bows to serve,
at the Passover meal.
The teacher handles the dirty feet of his friends,
washing them in a basin, a humble act
at the Passover meal.
The disciples of this teacher watch, aghast
at this stooping, this lowliness,
at the Passover meal.
The one named Peter pulls his feet away
rejecting completely this washing,
at the Passover meal.
The teacher tells them that the greatest
must be a servant to all, in this new order
at the Passover meal.
Bread broken, wine shared, feet washed,
they leave the room together
after the Passover meal.
In the garden the teacher asks them to watch and pray,
but the disciples are too sleepy
after the Passover meal.
The teacher vigils alone, in tears and agony
until soldiers come with swords and clubs,
they will not pass over this teacher.
The body will be broken
and the cup of suffering will be emptied
at the Passover this year.
(I wrote this for one reader, but I think it would be an effective responsive reading, so I am showing the parts.)
I am a Mennonite pastor currently teaching theology at Conrad Grebel University College in Waterloo, Ontario. I’ve served congregations in Ontario and most recently, Alberta.