Holy Thursday Tradition — A Passover Meal That Jesus Shared With His Apostles

Growing up in an Italian Catholic family, my mom loved creating family traditions celebrating our faith!

One of my most memorable traditions was eating a meal similar to the one Jesus shared with His apostles at the Last Supper. 

We would reenact the Last Supper and pray Jesus' words according to the scriptures. 

As a kid, I remember eating something that tasted different. The combination of eating and hearing the prayers of the evening imparted a very tangible memory. 

"Eat this bread and drink this wine… in memory of me."

This was our Holy Thursday meal: 

Since Jesus' last supper was a Passover Seder in the time of the Second Temple, the menu would have been something like this: 

Roasted Lamb, four cups of wine (as kids, we had four cups of grape juice), three to four pieces of unleavened bread (matzo), fresh vegetables (celery), bitter herbs (parsley), apple and fruit salad, and dried figs and dates for dessert.

The four glasses of wine or grape juice went along with the four blessings from Exodus. It is said throughout the meal, and we would each take turns (there were five of us kids, so often, we added the 5th blessing). 

"Therefore, say to the children of Israel, 'I am the Lord, and I will take you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will save you from their labor, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with great judgments. And I will take you to Me as a people, and I will be a God to you, and you will know that I am the Lord your God, Who has brought you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. (Exodus 6:6–7). 

There is a fifth expression, "I will bring you [to the land, concerning which I raised My hand to give to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob]" in the verse that follows (i.e.. verse 8), and it is represented by the Cup of Elijah that is filled at the Passover Seder table.

—Amy D'Ambra/MSMH Founder and Co-Owner