The events of Holy Week, the betrayals of Judas and Peter, the failure of all the apostles except John to stand by Jesus, bring to mind many things. I think these lessons of Holy Week tie in very closely with the Eucharist, instituted on that first Maundy Thursday. One of the greatest of the Greek Fathers, Bishop John of Constantinople (c.347-407), helps us think about this. Known as “Chrysostom” (golden-mouthed) for his eloquence in the pulpit, John traveled a path from monk, to deacon at Antioch, and finally to the prestigious post of bishop of the eastern Roman capital of Constantinople. Eventually he fell afoul of influential members of the imperial court, and despite the love in which he was held by his own people and the support of the pope, John died as a lonely prisoner in a brutal exile. His prolific writings stand as some of the most profound and accessible monuments of the whole patristic period. John is sometimes referred to as the “Doctor of the Eucharist,” and the most commonly celebrated liturgy among the churches in the Greek tradition gradually became known as the Liturgy of St. John Chrysostom in his honor. John’s reputation as a preacher was only matched by his skill as an exegete. The esteem in which his writings were held in the West is reflected in an anecdote related in the life of the thirteenth century friar Thomas Aquinas. When Thomas and some of his brethren were approaching the city of Paris, one of them marveled at the spires of the town and remarked to Thomas how wonderful a sight it was. Thomas responded that it was indeed, but he would trade it all for Chrysostom’s commentary on the Gospel of Matthew.
John’s views on the Eucharist are summarized in his Homily 82 on the Gospel of Matthew. In commenting upon the description of the Last Supper in Matthew 26:26-28, John beautifully develops themes found throughout his writings. The reality of the transformation of the bread and wine into the body and blood of Christ is linked to the concept of Christ as the fulfillment of Israel, who has undergone a new Passover for our spiritual benefit. This sacrament instituted by Christ on the eve of his passion suggests hope to us, and is meant to strengthen us to bear our own suffering. The serious and awesome nature of what occurs during the Eucharist is repeatedly emphasized:
“Consider with what sort of honor you were honored, of what sort of table you are partaking, that which when angels behold, they tremble, and dare not so much as look up at it without awe on account of the brightness that comes thence; with this we are fed, with this we are commingled, and we are made one body, and one flesh with Christ.”
Perhaps the most poignant passages in the sermon concern the apostles Peter and Judas. With regard to Judas, John laments the degree of his blindness. Judas came to the Lord’s Supper with a disposition to betray Jesus, and he left the room unchanged in his sinful intention. Jesus did not prevent Judas from receiving that first Eucharist, but receiving the Eucharist, by itself, did not keep Satan from entering the heart of Judas. As John puts it:
“Even partaking of the mysteries, he remained the same; and admitted to the most holy table, he changed not.”
John goes on to stress that even Peter, the leader of the apostles, failed to respond to that first Eucharist. Feeling confident that he himself was not the traitor, Peter in his pride assured Christ that he could never betray him. In his pride Peter set himself above all others, even to the point of contradicting the prophecy of Christ. And the same night Peter received the first Eucharist, he also betrayed Christ. The subsequent denial of Christ by Peter, John argues, should teach us several lessons. Peter was wrong both because he thought he was incapable of betrayal, and also because he thought he was better than Judas. John feels that Christ allowed Peter to fall in order to teach Peter to trust in God, and not in his own imagined strength. When Christ encounters Peter after the Resurrection, Peter has come to rely on grace, and is now willing to follow. Having been humbled by his own unfaithfulness, Peter can love more.
John Chrysostom warns that before we pass judgment on Judas and Peter, we must take a long hard look at ourselves, and determine with what disposition we approach our own opportunity to receive the Eucharist. Do we come with our own agenda, trusting in our own imagined righteousness, or, Chrysostom asks, like the Apostle John, who reclined on and rested in Christ’s presence at the Supper, do we approach the chalice of salvation with the innocent trust and absolute need which an infant brings to its mother’s breasts?
The Last Supper, by Andrea del Castagno. Peter and John flank Christ, with Judas in the foreground.
All quotations taken from Homilies of St. John Chrysostom. Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers, Series I. Volume X. Edited by Alexander Roberts and James Donaldson.
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