a New Sacrament

Welcome to Maundy Thursday Dear Friends –

last supper dali

«… shortly before the deep red sun has sunk in the west, faced by the silver disc of the rising full moon, the trumpets sound from the Temple and give the signal for the beginning of the eve of the Passover.

Jesus and His disciples withdraw to the room in the house of the Order of the Essenes to celebrate the Passover. Here, on Mount Zion, a sanctuary of humanity has existed from times immemorial.

Immediately opposite, also on a traditional spot, stands the house of Caiaphas, the ancestral home of the Sadducean Order. A circle has gathered there, also, yet they can scarcely give thought to the coming Feast, for they are actively concerned with a plan of hatred and enmity. The words of the 23rd Psalm are fulfilled: ”Thou prepares a table before me in the presence of my enemies.”

The divine Being has now Himself entered this world; therefore the
old blood-sacrifice has become superfluous. On the table of the Holy Meal, instead there is bread and wine. Christ takes, to the astonishment of the disciples, these other representatives of food and drink and adds a new meal to that ordained by the Old Testament.

The divine Sun-Spirit is present in Christ, and as He distributes the bread He can say: “This is my body”, and in handing the disciples the chalice: “This is my blood”. His soul surrenders itself and streams into the bread and wine, they become body and blood of the Sun-Spirit himself. All the Sun-Mysteries of antiquity were but prophecy; at this moment they grow into fulfillment. In the transition from the blood offerings of the past to the bloodless offering of bread and wine, the whole idea of sacrifice changed. Now the sacrifice of the soul is founded, and there begins the true tradition of inner sacrifice. The lunar sacrifices of antiquity are at an end; the solar sacrifice of Christianity comes into being. Christianity, the true Sun Religion, dawns in this evening hour.

Before the Meal He follows the custom observed in the Order of the Essenes and washes the feet of each of the disciples, even of Judas. The Washing of the Feet sums up in a pictorial act the essence of Christ’s teaching: “A new commandment I give unto you, that ye love one another.”

When the Passover has been eaten, the head of the family begins to recite from the Haggadah, the history of People from ancient times set down in legendary form. With Christ, too, the meal is followed by a discourse. This is recorded and gathered together by St. John in the wonderful “Farewell Discourses” culminating in the High Priestly Prayer (St. John, Chapters 14-17). Only John, who lies at the breast of Jesus, and listens to the speaking heart of Christ is able in his Gospel to preserve for mankind a reflection of this moment.

It is a strict regulation of the Passover that on this night no one may leave the protection of the house. If he does so, he meets the Destroying Angel. In spite of this, at a certain moment, Judas does go out. St. John’s Gospel says: “It was night”. It was also night within Judas; at this moment an Ahrimanic displacing of the ego, a possession, entered into him. Judas goes to the house opposite, where Caiaphas and his circle are keeping the Passover. They are ready and eager for the business that Judas wants to transact.

The Passover is broken. Jesus rises from the table and beckons to the astonished disciples. They follow him out into the night, where the light of the full moon had for some time been almost extinguished. It is passing through an eclipse. The frosty chills of winter giving place to spring begin to be felt as Jesus goes with His disciples to Gethsemane.» ~ excerpt from “The Three Years” by Emil Bock

eclipse of the moon stella Smead

Easter-Tide Study throughout Holy Week
(Chapter 10 of “The Three Years” by Emil Bock)
at The Rudolf Steiner Branch 4249 N. Lincoln Ave. Chicago

March 21-26th, 7pm-9pm

Including Eurythmy – The 7-pointed Star
(Steiner called it the Heptagram of the Lamb)

If you would like a copy of the text contact Hazel ReverseRitual@gmail.com

~ ~ ~

Rudolf Steiner Branch of The Anthroposophical Society,
4249 North Lincoln Avenue. Chicago, IL 60618
Chicago, IL (Anthroposophical Society in America)http://www.anthroposophy.org/groups/chicago-il/

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