New Hope

Luke 22:19 (NRSV) —

‘And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me.’’

How’s your memory? Do you remember everyone’s birthdays in good time - find it easy to learn Bible verses, addresses, telephone numbers, pi to 120 places of decimals?

My memory, shall we say, can be a little erratic. Some years ago, friends invited us to their silver wedding celebration. They explained it was a small party, just those who had been involved with their wedding, including the Best Man – me! This was a great surprise - because I had absolutely no recollection! I spent the reception anxiously waiting for the wedding photos to be brought out. Sure enough, there I was – top hat and all! Hopefully I hadn’t revealed my selective amnesia to our hosts…

Just as well that’s not a normal experience, because our memories are what make us who we are. Every one of us is a storehouse of memories unique to us – our schooldays, relationships, experiences, the highs and lows of life which have brought us to the beginning of 2023. Some we like to dwell on, others we’d rather forget. And some memories are at the very core of our being, vital to our identity, even to a national identity as with Jewish people who remember the Exodus every year at Passover.

And us? We are Christians. We are defined as those who trust Jesus, who follow Jesus, who learn from Jesus, who feed on Jesus, who proclaim Jesus. Our core memories centre on his life, his teaching, his example, his death on the Cross, his resurrection. So when we take the bread and wine at Communion, in remembrance of him, let it remind us who we are and the Christian hope – hope in Him – which defines us.

Prayer — 1 Peter 1:3: Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Lord, Help me to live every day of 2023 in remembrance of Jesus, and in that living hope.