Holy Thursday – A Washing, A Betrayal and A New Command

On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, when it was customary to sacrifice the Passover lamb, Jesus’ disciples asked him, “Where do you want us to go and make preparations for you to eat the Passover?” Jesus then gave two of them directions to accomplish the task. So they left, went into the city and found things just as Jesus had told them. Then Jesus washed their feet, told them that one of them would betray him, and then commenced the Passover meal and the sharing of wine and bread with new words, and new covenant, giving us the precious meal of Holy Communion. The events of Maundy Thursday highlight the humility and servanthood of Jesus. His command to His disciples is a command that He leaves for us as well. The name “Maundy” comes from the first word of the Latin phrase “𝓜𝓪𝓷𝓭𝓪𝓽𝓾𝓶 𝓷𝓸𝓿𝓾𝓶 𝓭𝓸 𝓿𝓸𝓫𝓲𝓼 𝓾𝓽 𝓭𝓲𝓵𝓲𝓰𝓪𝓽𝓲𝓼 𝓲𝓷𝓿𝓲𝓬𝓮𝓶 𝓼𝓲𝓬𝓾𝓽 𝓭𝓲𝓵𝓮𝔁𝓲 𝓿𝓸𝓼” meaning:

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” (John 13:34)

A Thought To Remember
“The Bread that we need each day to grow in eternal life, makes of our will a docile instrument of the Divine Will; sets the Kingdom of God within us; gives us pure lips, and a pure heart with which to glorify his holy name.” -Edith Stein

My Response
O Lord, This is love. That you spoke the word of God, walked a painful road to the Cross, shared living water, bread of life, brought Salvation to the world and died for the sake of us all. This is love. It is a seed sown in the ground, which germinates, blossoms, and spreads its sweet perfume. On this Maundy Thursday, may I breathe in this perfume, share the bread and cup, and look at my feet that you have washed over and over again for me. O Jesus, this is love for you are Love, AMEN.