4:91 – Monday Thursday? No Maundy Thursday

#faithbites #faithjourney maundy

Setting

Most #faithbites share the world of the Lord based on my experiences or how I’m feeling. Today, we are going to take a slightly different approach and use this for education. (And yes, I know, everything can be education).

Before I became a Christian, I was always confused when I heard Monday Thursday. I didn’t get it. Monday was Monday and Thursday was Thursday. What the heck was going on. I also didn’t get why Good Friday was called good, but that’s another story. The word isn’t Monday, but maundy. As described by Christianity.Com, Maundy Thursday the Thursday before Easter and believed to be the day when Jesus celebrated his final Passover with the disciples. This is also known as the Last Supper. In a nutshell, Maundy is a shorted form of mandatum (Latin) meaning command. Christ gave his mandate to love one another as he loved us on this day.

Today’s Questions: How should we observe Maundy Thursday? What does Jesus’s mandate mean to you? How can we live a life according to this mandate?

Scripture

• John 13:34 – 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.
• 1 Corinthians 11:23-26 – ²³ For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread, ²⁴ and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, “This is my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.” ²⁵ In the same way, after supper he took the cup, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood; do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me.” ²⁶ For whenever you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

Reflection

Today is a day to reflect. We reflect on the Last Supper and communion, Jesus’s mandate for us to love each other as he loved us, and on servitude. During the Last Supper, Jesus not only feed his disciples but also washed their feet. He showed them service to others is never above you. He also knew what was coming. This was before he was betrayed, which would come later that night.

For us, we look at this as our mandate, maundy, to love one another through service and faith. We don’t have to agree with or even like one another to love and serve. Jesus was about to take on the sins of the world, he knew one disciples would turn him over, and another would deny him three times. Yet, he still loved them, feed, them and washed their feet. Some may say Jesus was naïve, but he did what we should all do. Forgive, love, and serve.

Prayer

Lord Jesus, on this Maundy thursday we thank you for your mandate, your blood, your body, and your service. We pray that you help us follow your mandate, spread your word, and live a life of service, always. We pray this in your name, Amen.