Maundy Thursday
Maundy Thursday is the name Presbyterians in the United States utilize to reference theLast Supper and beginning of Jesus of Nazareth's Passion. The exact derivation of the word "maundy" is uncertain, as is the rationale for its usage by the Presbyterian Church to describe what is, essentially, Holy Thursday.
As a child, I recall finding it annoying that required church attendance impinged upon my week night television watching. As I grew in understanding, I have come to find Maundy Thursday truly one of the most holy times inside any church; whether it holds fifty or five thousand persons. Reliving the Last Supper Jesus ate with His beloved disciples in His final hours of freedom as a mortal man causes one to truly reflect upon Jesus' admonitions to the Twelve during the meal; offering them the bread in symbol of His body which would be broken and the wine in symbol of the blood to be shed in propitiation for all of mankinds' sins. Reflecting on the symbolism of the wafer and wine and the cost Jesus paid on the cross that we might share in the same feast - only now a feast of remembrance and honor - almost always reminds me how terribly unworthy even the best persons are to have had such an incredible sacrifice made on our behalves. Indeed this IS love and maybe that is the key word to describe any church service - be it held on Sunday, Thursday, Friday or Saturday; God's abundant love is present among His followers.
But I cannot escape thoughts of the pure and innocent Lamb of God joyously enjoying the Passover Meal with His disciples only to recognize His time had come and that one of his chosen would now fulfill prophesy by betraying Him into the hands of the Jewish leaders, thus beginning the path Jesus would walk to Golgatha wherein, indicted by the Jews, sentenced to death by the Romans, He suffered the humiliating indignity of crucifixtion. The sinless Christ laid down his life; allowed His body to be broken for our sins and His blood to be shed so that all humans might come through Him and His love to God the Father and His eternal reward of life in heaven.
On this Maundy Thursday, as on others, the church will focus on Jesus as a man who, despite establishing the rite of communion, went on to the Garden of Gesthemene to pray for strength and even to pray that the difficult path to come could be taken away from Him by the Father. It is a reminder that even the only perfect one to walk this earth asked that He not have to confront a scary future; a reminder that gives all who believe in Jesus and are Christians hope in knowing, with certainty, prayers are answered and even the innocent Savior was not immune to feeling all of the human emotions which confront us.
