If you are like me I am sure you spend a lot of your time each week preparing…preparing meals…preparing for visitors…preparing for school or work…preparing for a journey…
Our Gospel today is all about preparing…preparing for Passover which will become Eucharist. If we look closely at the text presented by Mark of this moment of preparation, we will notice there are two important signs offered to help the disciples prepare. The first is the unnamed man with the pitcher of water whom they will meet…this is a reminder of their thirst for God…water quenches thirst. We all walk through life thirsting for love…for happiness…for joy…for belonging. This man takes the disciples to the place where they will prepare. He leads them to the house…the house where they are welcome…hospitality is offered to them, again by an unnamed man who shows them to the Dining Room. It is a large room where a small piece of bread will be taken, blessed, broken and shared for all.
As we reflect on these two signs of preparation it says to us, we too must prepare well to come together to celebrate Eucharist…we must acknowledge our thirst for Jesus in the Eucharist… and make of hearts a large space – a dining room to welcome Jesus as we receive him in Eucharist. As you prepare notice the signposts along the way…the unnamed people and those you know well who point you towards Eucharist, who enable you to prepare well to receive the greatest gift of all, Jesus Christ.
Karen OSU