By Hannington Sebuliba
On 1st April AD 33 Jesus had the last supper with his disciples in the upper room according to the Standard Julian Calendar used by historians of the four gospels mainly St. Mark chapter 14.
1998 years later the last supper has fallen on 1st April 2021 AD. At St. Mark Ssekiwunga Akright, Namirembe Diocesan Bishop Wilberforce Kityo Luwalira was the main celebrant in their newly constructed Church and served the Lords Supper in the upper room.
Preaching to a small congregation of about 150 people due to covid-19 restrictions of social distancing, Bishop Luwalira started his sermon by thanking the people of Ssekiwunga for construction of the magnificent Church. He said that he was happy to be around when they were remembering the Lord's supper.
He said "Maundy" comes from the Latin word "mandatum" or mandate. So, Maundy Thursday is "Mandate Thursday" or "Command Thursday."
He said that Jesus had come as a King of Kings but the religious leaders of the day did not like him, yet they knew what He was doing.
He said that God's assignments are no it always simple. He said that throughout the week Jesus was showing power and authority. He said that you can't talk of this day and forget about preparation for the passover, the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. He said if he had an opportunity, he would have gone to each and every place Jesus passed through the passion week "am happy that I can do this here at Ssekiwunga".
He said that Jesus as the chief teacher was teaching Jews from the known to the unknown. He knew the feasts of the Jews including passover. He said that Jesus,' blood became the passover of the new covenant.
He preached from Mark 14 when the disciples asked him where he wanted to have his passover from.
He quoted as follows:
Mark 14:1-30 After two days was the feast of the passover, and of unleavened bread: and the chief priests and the scribes sought how they might take him by craft, and put him to death.
But they said, Not on the feast day, lest there be an uproar of the people.
And being in Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as he sat at meat, there came a woman having an alabaster box of ointment of spikenard very precious; and she brake the box, and poured it on his head.
And there were some that had indignation within themselves, and said, Why was this waste of the ointment made?
For it might have been sold for more than three hundred pence, and have been given to the poor. And they murmured against her.
And Jesus said, Let her alone; why trouble ye her? she hath wrought a good work on me.
For ye have the poor with you always, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always.
She hath done what she could: she is come aforehand to anoint my body to the burying.
Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her.
And Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went unto the chief priests, to betray him unto them.
And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money. And he sought how he might conveniently betray him.
And the first day of unleavened bread, when they killed the passover, his disciples said unto him, Where wilt thou that we go and prepare that thou mayest eat the passover?
And he sendeth forth two of his disciples, and saith unto them, Go ye into the city, and there shall meet you a man bearing a pitcher of water: follow him.
And wheresoever he shall go in, say ye to the goodman of the house, The Master saith, Where is the guestchamber, where I shall eat the passover with my disciples?
And he will shew you a large upper room furnished and prepared: there make ready for us.
And his disciples went forth, and came into the city, and found as he had said unto them: and they made ready the passover.
And in the evening he cometh with the twelve.
And as they sat and did eat, Jesus said, Verily I say unto you, One of you which eateth with me shall betray me.
And they began to be sorrowful, and to say unto him one by one, Is it I? and another said, Is it I?
And he answered and said unto them, It is one of the twelve, that dippeth with me in the dish.
The Son of man indeed goeth, as it is written of him: but woe to that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! good were it for that man if he had never been born.
And as they did eat, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and brake it, and gave to them, and said, Take, eat: this is my body.
And he took the cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them: and they all drank of it.
And he said unto them, This is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many.
Verily I say unto you, I will drink no more of the fruit of the vine, until that day that I drink it new in the kingdom of God.
And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the mount of Olives.
And Jesus saith unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered.
But after that I am risen, I will go before you into Galilee.
But Peter said unto him, Although all shall be offended, yet will not I.
And Jesus saith unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this day, even in this night, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice.
He said that we need to respond when God does a new thing.
1. To receive a new thing
2. To Accept it
3. To spread the good news about that new thing.
He said that when you tell some people "Praise the Lord" and he responds by saying "what has he done?" Jesus took two elements of the passover bread and wine and he created a new thing. A new command he gave us to love one another.
In our theme for this year God calls us to be fruitful in whatever we are doing.
He said that you can't talk of the last supper and forget Judas Iscariot the one who betrayed Jesus.
He said that it takes time for human beings to develop relationships but takes a minute to betray the relationship. Such acts bring about mistrust and anger. Imagine how many people have betrayed is at work, in church at home and everywhere?
Some people think that maybe Judas was frustrated and what he had expected he never got it, so he decided to betray him.
He went ahead to say that the love for money was the reason why Judas betrayed Jesus.
He said that many people have betrayed their friends leading them to death. He concluded by saying that despite all the betrayals, Jesus loves mankind up to the last hour on the cross.
On his part the assistant Archdeacon of Entebbe Rev. Patrick Katuluba thanked the people of Ssekiwunga for constructing a new Church that has brought the glory of the Lord in the area.
The Kitende Parish Priest Rev. Frederick Musisi thanked the Bishop for choosing Kitende Parish to celebrate the last supper with them more so at St. Mark's church Ssekiwunga.
When time for the last supper approached the Bishop led the team to the upper room and the holy communion was served from there.
On his part the chairman of development committee Mr. Alex Kamukama thanked the Bishop for turning up because he was the very person who broke the ground.
"From today onwards, we are going to see miracles." He said
He said that every time the bishop is coming to this church, the Christians work so hard.
The Head of Laity Mrs Kawumi thanked the Bishop for always coming to pray with them whenever they approach him.
