“The Church is... where the Lord is acknowledged, and where the Word is.” - The New Jerusalem and Its Heavenly Doctrine §242
Kempton New Church


Day 43: April 7 Good Friday

Readings:

And when evening was already come, since it was the Preparation, that is, the day before the Sabbath, Joseph of Arimathea, an honorable counselor who also himself waited for the kingdom of God, came and went in boldly to Pilate, and asked for the body of Jesus. But Pilate marveled whether He were already dead; and calling for the centurion, he asked him whether He had been dead for long. And when he knew from the centurion, he gave the body to Joseph. And having brought cloth, and taken Him down, he wrapped Him in the cloth, and laid Him in a sepulcher which was hewn out of a rock, and rolled a stone onto the door of the sepulcher. And Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses beheld where He was put. (Mark 15:42-47)

When he takes the bread and wine, and hears the Lord’s flesh and blood mentioned, to think to himself about the Holy Supper that it is the holiest act of worship, and to remember Christ’s passion and His love for man’s salvation. For He says: “Do this in remembrance of me.” (Luke 22:19) (True Christian Religion 709:3)

The Lord Himself is present in the Holy Supper, and that flesh and bread are the Lord in respect of the Divine good of love, and blood and wine are the Lord in respect of the Divine truth of wisdom. There are therefore three items involved in the Holy Supper, the Lord, His Divine good and His Divine truth. (True Christian Religion 711)

Reflection:

We can respond to the Lords’ great love for us, by receiving it and returning it. The only way to be able to receive the Lord’s love and wisdom is to first remove evil. This is why the Holy supper which symbolized and corresponds to receiving those gifts from the Lord is a sacrament of repentance. Have you experienced a greater closeness to the Lord after examining your life to find an evil to repent from?

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