Tuesday, April 12, 2011

5. The Last Supper (Gay Passion of Christ series)

5. The Last Supper (from The Passion of Christ: A Gay Vision) by Douglas Blanchard

“This is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” -- Luke 22:19 (RSV)

Jesus’ friends didn’t know it would be their last meal with him, even though he tried to prepare them. All his closest friends were there, including the man whom Jesus loved. Jesus snuggled his Beloved and talked about love, and then about betrayal, and then a lot more about love. Jesus said he was going away and urged them all to love each other as he had loved them. The greatest love, he told them, is to lay down your life for your friends. He handed bread to them and said something strange: Take, eat; this is my body. Then he passed around a cup of wine, saying, Drink, all of you, this is my blood. He gave and they received completely, an act of true communion. The wine tasted sweet, with a touch of bitterness.

Jesus, thank you for feeding me!
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Next: 6. Jesus Prays Alone

More resources
Jesus shares a last supper (excerpt from “At the Cross” by Kittredge Cherry)
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This is part of a series based on “The Passion of Christ: A Gay Vision,” a set of 24 paintings by Douglas Blanchard, with text by Kittredge Cherry

Click to go to the beginning
or view the whole series.

Scripture quotation is from Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1946, 1952, and 1971 National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

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2 comments:

Josh Thomas said...

Thank you for printing Douglas Blanchard's Last Supper, and all the rest you do. The most radical, subversive thing about his painting probably isn't that John is clinging to Jesus, but that there are women present, eating and drinking like they belong too.

Kittredge Cherry said...

Doug Blanchard always includes women as well as men among Jesus’ followers, as well as presenting them as people of various races, ages and (dis)abilities. Josh, you’re right that this is radical and subversive. I also believe it is closer to the truth of the historical Jesus and his disciples.