Like all holy sites surrounding Jerusalem, the Upper Room has undergone construction, devastation, reconstruction, and renovation over and over again as wars raged in the Middle East and Jerusalem changed hands among Jews, Muslims, and Catholics repeatedly. All that is left to us of this holy spot is the floor—buried beneath three more ancient floors.
The Upper Room as seen today was chiefly built by the Crusaders in the 12th century. It is an airy, squarish room. Large, branching columns support the vaulted ceiling. It is very different from ancient Jewish architecture, yet it still recalls to our hearts all the scenes which took place in that spot—the Last Supper, the apparitions of the Risen Lord to His Apostles, Pentecost, and perhaps even the first several Masses of the early Church.
The Upper Room also reminds us that the Apostles’ work as disciples of Christ began only when they received the courage to leave that haven.
We, too, are disciples. We heard and accepted Our Lord’s call to follow Him when we were baptized. Are we hiding in our own spiritual Upper Room? Are we living as disciples of Christ, embodying Our Lord in our daily lives? Or are we uncertain how to be a disciple?
9 Days to Easter Joy is a devotional journey through Holy Week and the Easter Octave, guiding readers from spiritual fatigue to renewed hope. Through daily meditations, prayer, and action, it invites a personal encounter with the living Christ and the transforming power of His Resurrection. Discover your copy today at The Catholic Company!
