The Feast Before Suffering
“With desire I have desired to eat this passover with you before I suffer.” — Luke xxii. 15.
Why had our Lord this desire? One would think the suffering so serious a thing as to make the passover a matter of no account. Nay; it was just because the suffering was so serious that the passover was of account. For what is the idea of the passage? It is that joy is the best preparation for sorrow. Strange as we may think it, it is not pain that helps us to bear pain; it is the remains of gladness. Take any moment of your grief, and ask what it is that has kept you from breaking down utterly. You will find it is some comfort in reserve. We are saved by the patch of blue sky. Particularly are we saved by the patch of blue sky in the firmament of love. It is easier to bear a thing when I am surrounded by those whom I love. I think I could endure consciously a physical operation if one whom I loved were to hold my hand. So felt the Son of Man. He wanted to arm Himself with sunbeams before He suffered. He desired to warm Himself at the fire of the human heart before He went out into the night cold. He felt that the flood would be easier to breast if He first saw the rainbow; He sought to be transfigured by the light of joy ere He was called to enter into the cloud.
O Thou who still art suffering on the cross of human sin, let me strengthen Thee by my love! It is a bold prayer. We often ask Thy strength for conflict, but Thou hast taught us that we can strengthen Thee. Thou art going forth as of yore up the Dolorous Way; take the passover with me before Thou goest! Come into my pavilion and warm Thyself at the fire! for it is toward evening and the day is far spent. I would anoint Thee for Thy burial, O Christ. I would bring Thee the alabaster box in advance of the pain. I feel that the alabaster box will mitigate the pain. There are angels that strengthen us before we suffer; let me be such to Thee! Let me tell Thee of my love, my deathless love! Let me speak to Thee of my faith, my cloudless faith! Let me sing to Thee of my hope, my immortal hope! Let me offer Thee on the road to Jerusalem the sight of a fig-tree where the fruit is already come! So shalt Thou eat the passover before Thy suffering, and my hand shall be privileged to pluck a thorn from Thy brow.