When we eat this Bread and drink this Cup

When we eat this bread and drink this cup

[Newsletter article for April 2026]

Dear brothers and sisters!

We begin this month with the Paschal Triduum. An observance of the Maundy Thursday, Good Friday through Easter Vigil to the Resurrection Day. All three of these dates and events are intertwine with each other and can not be separated by a simple dissection. We could not celebrate Easter unless Jesus came through the pangs of death on the Cross. At the same time, He wouldn't be on the Cross if Judas stayed in the Upper Room when the Savior instituted the Lord's Supper. The history is a clothing of the world events made without seams...

We see it in our Divine Service. A week comes to the proper end when we confess our sins and receive absolution. We think about what happened in the last seven days and could've say many things but say only: Almighty God, merciful Father, I am a poor miserable sinner confess unto you... I'm sure you know the text. Then, being renewed by the Creator Himself, we can begin a new week.

The week then begins with His Word and celebration at the Lord's Table. He teaches us how to live and feeds us that we will have strength for our vocation. We again remember the joyful entrance to the Jerusalem – singing Blessed is He Who comes in the Name of the LORD! Hosanna in the highest! Then comes the THREE: the Words of Institution remind us of the Maundy Thursday; singing Agnus Dei – the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world – connect us with Calvary, the Cross, the Good Friday. And when we come back to our pews from the altar rail, we repeat the live of resurrected Lord – who came back to His brothers. Yet, He was glorified – just as we are glorified by the gifts of His Body and Blood.

That's why every year we are longing to celebrate His resurrection. For His victory gives sense to the suffering and death on the Cross – otherwise it would've been pointless and gory. The rolled out tomb stone is the best sign of His life being stronger than death. His death was the final nail into death's coffin because He came back to life. That's why whenever we say when we eat this bread and drink this cup we proclaim the Lord's death until He comes, it is not simply a reference to a historic event happened about 2000 years ago. The dates and events of the Paschal Triduum have a great meaning for us today – our life depends on what happened then and there. And vise versa – what happened then and there connects us with the myriad of believers throughout the lands and ages who also ate the Bread and drunk the Cup, remembering His death and hoping for glorious resurrection! Christ is Risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!