Why wine?

Since I arrived in Spain, I've had...um, a lot of opportunities to drink think about wine, which actually got me thinking:

Why wine? I don't mean why do we drink it in general. That answer is obvious. It's delicious and classy and...anyway. No, I mean, why did Jesus use wine in the Eucharist?


I mean, I know that it's because of Passover traditions, but I feel like there's more at work here than just Jesus going, "Oh, here is a convenient custom. I'll use it." God actually knew about Passover and everything else long before it existed, so to just say that it was a custom and think no more about it neglects the possibility that the use of wine in Passover and the Eucharist was a very deliberate part of God's plan.

During the Sedar, Jewish custom dictates that each person must drink four cups of wine.

There are a lot of different stories and customs associated with the four cups, but what I find most interesting is that they are used: to begin the meal and bless it, to sing praise after hearing the account of Exodus, to give thanks for the food after the meal, and to give thanks for the "fruit of the vine."

Also, the four cups represent the four worlds: the pre-Messianic age, the Messianic age, the world at the revival of the dead, and the world to come.

Considering that Jesus was celebrating the Sedar with His apostles, I'm going to assume that he observed custom and drank four glasses of wine with His apostles. We only drink once during Mass, though, not four times. He only chose to use one of the glasses of wine for the Eucharist.

Which cup? The Bible tells us that, actually. It says, "When supper was ended, he took the cup." And during Mass, we give thanks for "the fruit of the vine." So, Jesus used the last cup.

This cup symbolized Hallel, a hymn of praise which includes a recitation of Psalm 113-118.

Some of my favorite parts of this passage:

Tremble, thou earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob; Who turned the rock into a pool of water, the flint into a fountain of waters. 

Transformation and the presence of God are mentioned together.

The cords of death compassed me, and the straits of the nether-world got hold upon me; I found trouble and sorrow. But I called upon the name of the LORD: 'I beseech thee, O LORD, deliver my soul.

Deliverance and resurrection are referenced.

I will lift up the cup of salvation, and call upon the name of the LORD.

Oh, wait. Was that just one of those Old Testament passages foreshadowing the Eucharist? Awesome sauce!

I will offer to thee the sacrifice of thanksgiving, and will call upon the name of the LORD.

Sacrifice of thanksgiving? That's sounding awfully familiar...

There's a lot more about thanksgiving and being saved by the Lord, so you should check it out.

Anyway,  one thing I find really interesting is that this cup of the Sedar is drunk in thanksgiving for the wine. That is, it is a celebration of itself.

Jesus hands us the cup of His Blood and says, "Do this in memory of me." But it is Him. We receive Him in memory of Him. We receive Him in celebration of Him. Unlike other sacrifices and offerings which we might make on behalf of something or someone else, the Eucharist is offered and celebrated for its own sake. We don't celebrate the Mass as a remembrance of someone who has left us, as we might throw a luncheon after a funeral. The Mass is a celebration of Christ who is present to us. Thus, the Eucharist is celebrated for the very reason that it is the Eucharist. We rejoice in God present, not in a symbol or a memory.

I may be way off, but that's what I'm thinking, anyway.

I'm praying for you!

:)