Maundy Thursday

When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in him. If God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and glorify him at once. Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me, and just as I said to the Jews, so now I also say to you, ‘Where I am going you cannot come.’ A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:31-35 ESV).

Some people call today Holy Thursday, others use the older reference of “Maundy Thursday.” If you have not been a part of the more traditional, ecclesiastical practices of Christianity, you may not be familiar with the meaning of this designation. It’s certainly not a commonly used word. You would rarely find it used outside the context of Easter. However, it has a rich meaning full of significance for all of us who are believers. It calls us to the fuller context of our reading today. “Maundy” comes from the Latin word Mandatum, which itself is from the verb Mandare, which is translated “commandment.” In the context of Easter Week it refers to the commandment Jesus gave to his disciples while washing their feet. This is contained in our reading today. This was a very busy day. The gospels tell us that Jesus sent Peter and John to arrange for them to use the Upper Room to hold the Passover meal. Jesus washed the apostles' feet; held the Passover Meal and instituted it as a memorial meal going forward. He also announced that Judas would betray him and gave the "new commandment" to love one another. Jesus indicated that Peter had a special pastoral role among the apostles, announcing at the same time that Peter would deny him. He prayed for the unity of his followers. He held all the discourses recorded across five chapters of John (John 13-18). Jesus went to the Mount of Olives and prayed in the Garden of Gethsemane where he was betrayed by Judas. He was arrested and taken before the high priests Annas and Caiaphas; was denied by Peter; and taken to Pilate. In all of this activity, the core of Jesus’ teaching revolves around our relationship with him producing a love for one another. I am challenged today to really focus on that truth. We live in a polarized culture where “common ground” is lost in the morass of personal gain and aggrandizement. That is the antithesis of Jesus’ reason for dying. If we remember anything about the coming events leading to Easter, I hope it will be that our call to reflect His glory is best accomplished with a simple love for one another, even when we are vastly different. Go out of your way to show kindness and love to someone today. That will certainly honor Him!