The Table at La Valla
The final action section of Mt centers around the events of the day before Jesus’ crucifixion: the Last Supper, the Agony in the Garden, and Jesus’ arrest. Christ’s institution of the Eucharist at the Last Supper is a deeply important story for all Catholics, and especially for Marists. Marcellin Champagnat had a strong devotion to the Eucharist, which he hoped to instill in the first brothers. Water from the Rock states:
At the Altar, the Eucharist, we find a privileged place to enter into communion with the Body of Christ: to stand as one with all who are members and to deepen our relationship with the living presence of Jesus in our lives. The celebration of the Eucharist, and prayer in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament, were intense experiences of God for Marcellin. Experiencing the Eucharist as the source and summit of the Christian life leads us to the heart of the Marist’s spirituality. (WFTR #23)
The Last Supper is also the final example of the table fellowship Christ shared with his followers throughout the Gospel (e.g. 9.9-13, 26.6-13). A similar table fellowship was shared by Marcellin and the early brothers. When the Institute first began in 1817, Champagnat and his recruits had almost nothing, and much of their furniture was built by Marcellin himself, including the dining room table. The early brothers remembered their time around that table, sharing meals with and learning from Champagnat, as one of the foundational experiences of the early history of the congregation.
