JOHN 13:31-35|LET US LOVE ONE ANOTHER 

 LET US LOVE ONE ANOTHER

JOHN 13:31-35

MAUNDY THURSDAY, 2018

IT IS, PERHAPS, THE BEST KNOWN AND MOST BELOVED RELIGIOUS PAINTING – LEONARDO DA VINCI’S – THE LAST SUPPER.  IN FACT, IT IS ONE OF THE MOST RECOGNIZABLE PAINTINGS IN THE WORLD.

IT HAS BEEN REPRODUCED, COPIED, REPRINTED, RE-SCULPTED, AND RE-CREATED MILLIONS OF TIMES OVER.

LIKE ME, YOU MAY HAVE GROWN UP IN A CHURCH WHICH FEATURED A LIKENESS OF IT CARVED INTO THE FRONT OF THE COMMUNION TABLE.

IT IS THE PORTRAIT WE THINK OF, WHENEVER WE THINK OF THE LAST SUPPER; MAYBE EVERY TIME WE CELEBRATE THE SACRAMENT OF HOLY COMMUNION.

THE PAINTING IS FROM THE LATE 15^TH CENTURY.

DID YOU KNOW THAT THE PAINTING HANGS IN THE REFECTORY OF THE CONVENT OF SANTA MARIA DELLE GRAZIE IN MILAN, ITALY?

A REFECTORY, BY THE WAY, IS A LUNCHROOM; A DINING HALL; AND WHY, VERSIONS OF DA VINCI’S PAINTING OF THE LAST SUPPER ARE OFTEN FOUND HANGING IN DINING HALLS, ESPECIALLY ON RELIGIOUS CAMPUSES.

LIKE THE ONE THAT HANGS IN OUR OWN DINING HALL, OUR FELLOWSHIP HALL –  A VERSION DONE WITH AFRICAN CHARACTERS, FROM MAWANDI ZAMBIA, AFRICA, AND GIVEN TO THE CHURCH BY PEGGY BALLEIT IN MARCH OF 2003.

WE TEND, I THINK, TO SEE THE PAINTING IN ALL THE SERENITY WITH WHICH IT IS DISPLAYED; BUT THAT’S ONLY BECAUSE WE USUALLY SEE IT FROM A DISTANCE, MISSING ITS DETAIL;

AND, BECAUSE WE TEND TO DISPLAY IT IN ALL OF ITS HOLINESS.

FOR THE FIRST 400 YEARS OR SO, ONLY JUDAS, PETER, JOHN AND JESUS WERE POSITIVELY IDENTIFIED;

BUT IN THE 19^TH CENTURY THE NOTEBOOKS OF LEONARDO DA VINCI WERE DISCOVERED, AND ON PAGE 232, IN THE GRAND MASTER’S OWN HANDWRITING, A LABELING OF ALL THE APOSTLES.  FROM LEFT TO RIGHT:

BARTHOLOMEW, JAMES, THE SON OF ALPHAEUS, AND ANDREW FORM A GROUP OF THREE.

ALL APPEAR SURPRISED, WITH ANDREW EVEN THROWING UP HIS HANDS, AS IF TO ASK: “WHAT?” OR PERHAPS, IN PROTEST OF WHAT HE’S HEARING.

JUDAS ISCARIOT, PETER, AND JOHN ARE THE NEXT THREE.  JUDAS IS WEARING GREEN AND BLUE AND IS IN THE SHADOW, LOOKING RATHER WITHDRAWN AND TAKEN ABACK BY THE SUDDEN REVELATION OF HIS PLAN TO BETRAY JESUS.

HE IS CLUTCHING A SMALL BAG, PERHAPS SIGNIFYING THE 30 PIECES OF SILVER GIVEN TO HIM AS PAYMENT FOR HIS BETRAYAL, OR PERHAPS A REFERENCE TO HIS BEING THE GROUP’S TREASURER.

HE’S ALSO TIPPING OVER A SALT-CELLAR, PERHAPS RELATED TO THE NEAR-EASTERN EXPRESSION TO “BETRAY THE SALT” MEANING TO BETRAY ONE’S MASTER; AND PERHAPS, FROM WHENCE CAME OUR OWN IDEA THAT TO SPILL THE SALT BRINGS BAD LUCK.

PETER LOOKS ANGRY, AND IF YOU’VE NEVER LOOKED CLOSELY, HAS A KNIFE IN HIS HAND, POINTING AWAY FROM JESUS, PERHAPS FORESHADOWING HIS VIOLENT DRAWING OF HIS SWORD IN THE GARDEN OF GETHSEMANE DURING JESUS’ ARREST;

THOUGH I SUPPOSE IT COULD HAVE THE MORE SINISTER CONNOTATION OF HIS BACKHANDED DENIALS OF JESUS THAT ARE TO COME.

JOHN APPEARS TO SWOON, AND IS PAINTED SO EFFEMINATELY, THAT SOME HAVE SUGGESTED, PERHAPS, IT IS NOT ONE OF THE TWELVE, BUT RATHER, MARY MAGDALENE WHO IS PORTRAYED AT JESUS RIGHT.

THERE IS JESUS, CENTER STAGE.

HIS HAND AND JUDAS’ HAND ARE BOTH REACHING FOR THE SAME PIECE OF BREAD, DENOTING JESUS’ STATEMENT THAT THE ONE WHO WILL BETRAY HIM IS THE ONE WHO DIPS HIS HAND IN THE BOWL AFTER ME (THOUGH EACH OF THE GOSPELS USES A DIFFERENT PHRASE HERE.)

THEN ANOTHER GROUP OF THREE – THOMAS, JAMES THE GREATER, AND PHILIP.

THOMAS IS CLEARLY UPSET; HIS FINGER RAISED, AS IF TO MAKE A POINT.

JESUS HAS JUST SAID THAT HE IS GOING AWAY; GOING TO PREPARE A PLACE FOR THEM; AND THAT WHERE HE IS GOING, THEY KNOW.

BUT THOMAS REBUKES JESUS: “LORD, WE DO NOT KNOW WHERE YOU ARE GOING.  HOW CAN WE KNOW THE WAY?”

TO WHICH JESUS RESPONDS: “I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH, AND THE LIFE…”

JAMES THE GREATER LOOKS STUNNED, HIS ARMS OUTSTRETCHED.

PHILIP APPEARS TO BE REQUESTING SOME EXPLANATION.

MATTHEW, JUDE/THADDEUS, AND SIMON THE ZEALOT ARE THE FINAL GROUP.

BOTH MATTHEW AND JUDE ARE TURNED TOWARD SIMON, PERHAPS TO FIND OUT IF HE HAS ANY ANSWERS TO THEIR INITIAL QUESTIONS.

MATTHEW’S ARMS APPEAR TO EXPRESS: “CAN YOU BELIEVE WHAT WE’RE HEARING?”  JUDE PLEADS FOR AN EXPLANATION FROM SIMON; AND SIMON’S HANDS ARE IN FRONT OF HIM, AS IF EXPLAINING.

AS I SAID, WE TEND TO MISS THE DETAILS OF THE PAINTING, USUALLY SEEING IT FROM AFAR; IT’S HARDLY, THE QUIET, SERENE SCENE WE SEE AT FIRST GLANCE;

AND WHEN WE READ, TOGETHER, ALL OF THE GOSPEL ACCOUNTS OF THE LAST SUPPER, WHAT WE SEE IS ANYTHING BUT PEACE AND SERENITY.

JESUS IS TALKING ABOUT DYING; MY BODY BROKEN FOR YOU; MY BLOOD POURED OUT FOR YOU.

THERE IS JUDAS’ BETRAYAL AND PETER’S DENIALS.

THERE IS THOMAS’ QUESTION ABOUT WHERE JESUS IS GOING;

AND ACCORDING TO JOHN, (WHO, BY THE WAY, TAKES FIVE FULL CHAPTERS TO TELL THE STORY OF THE LAST SUPPER), THERE IS JOHN TELLING US THAT THE DISCIPLES HAVE BEEN ARGUING OVER WHICH OF THEM IS THE GREATEST.

THERE IS TALK OF THE WORLD’S HATRED FOR WHAT THEY ALL WERE DOING;

AND THE PROMISE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT; AND JESUS AS THE TRUE VINE; AND JESUS TRYING TO CALM THEIR FEARS; AND PRAYING FOR ALL OF THEM;

AND THE ANTICIPATION, FEAR, ANXIETY, OF ALL THAT IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN; INCLUDING JESUS’ OWN FEARS AND MISGIVINGS AS TO WHETHER HE IS UP TO IT ALL.

IT IS IN THE MIDST OF ALL THIS CHAOS, YES, CHAOS, AND UNCERTAINTY, NOT SERENITY AND PEACE, THAT JESUS SPEAKS TO THEM, OF A NEW COMMANDMENT: “THAT YOU LOVE ONE ANOTHER.  JUST AS I HAVE LOVED YOU, YOU ALSO SHOULD LOVE ONE ANOTHER.”

ISN’T THAT SOMETHING?  ISN’T THAT BEAUTIFUL?

WE TEND TO SEE DA VINCI’S PAINTING AS A SNAPSHOT, A PORTRAIT, A PICTURE SET IN MEMORIAM OF THAT NIGHT; THE PEACEFUL PLACE SETTING.

HOWEVER, THINK OF IT AS WHAT HAPPENS SOMETIMES AT OUR OWN FAMILY GATHERINGS –

AFTER A LONG DAY OF EATING AND DRINKING, OF SHARED MEMORIES, AND PERHAPS, ALSO, A FEW SPOTS OF CONTENTION; OF PEOPLE NOT GETTING ALONG; AND WHISPERED ACCUSATIONS AND DISAPPROVALS; AND LAUGHTER, SOME OF IT AT SOMEONE’S EXPENSE, AND EVERYTHING ELSE THAT GOES ON…

SOMEONE SAYS, LET’S ALL GATHER FOR A GROUP PHOTO, AND THE PHOTO BELIES MUCH OF WHAT THE DAY HAS REALLY BEEN.

UPON CLOSER EXAMINATION OF DA VINCI’S PAINTING, AND MORE IMPORTANTLY, UPON READING THE FULL ACCOUNTS OF THAT NIGHT, IN ALL OF THE GOSPELS COMBINED, WHAT WE SEE IS NOT A PEACEFUL, PASTORAL, SERENE, SCENE;

BUT ALL THE CHAOS, TURMOIL, FEAR, ANXIETY, FRUSTRATION, AND LONGING FOR ANSWERS OF THAT NIGHT… AND OF LIFE ITSELF.

INTO SUCH COMMOTION, AND UPHEAVAL JESUS SPEAKS WORDS OF LOVE.  OF A NEW COMMANDMENT: “TO LOVE ONE ANOTHER; JUST AS I HAVE LOVED YOU, YOU SHOULD LOVE ONE ANOTHER;”

AND WHAT’S MORE, HE SAYS, “BY THIS EVERYONE WILL KNOW THAT YOU ARE MY DISCIPLES, IF YOU LOVE ONE ANOTHER.”

ISN’T THAT SOMETHING?  ISN’T THAT BEAUTIFUL?  ISN’T THAT GENIUS?

JESUS KNEW… HE KNEW WHAT WAS TRULY GOING ON THAT NIGHT… HE KNEW WHAT THE NIGHT AND DAYS AHEAD WOULD BRING… WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO HIM… TO THEM… HE KNEW WHAT LIFE WOULD BRING FOR US…

AND INTO IT JESUS SPEAKS A WORD OF LOVE – THE ONLY WORD THAT REALLY MATTERS; THAT WILL, THAT CAN, MAKE A DIFFERENCE, LOVE;

HIS LOVE FOR US – AND OUR LOVING ONE ANOTHER – AND HOW IT IS OUR LOVING ONE ANOTHER THAT SETS US APART FROM ALL THE REST; AND, HOW, PEOPLE WILL KNOW, WE ARE HIS.