Maundy Thursday

Maundy Thursday, is, for me, the most powerful, important service of our entire Christian year. This liturgy tells of our history as followers of Christ, it is the service that directs us as to how we are to live out our Christian identity, it informs me about my purpose and responsibility as a pastor and priest, and it mandates for us to regularly celebrate the eucharist in remembrance of He who died for us.

Mandates. We call this day Maundy Thursday because the word Maundy is from the Latin Mandatum - to mandate or command.  Tonight we remember and celebrate Christ’s mandate for us. 

Jesus said:

“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”

Now this is the great commandment, yes, but he also mandates the eucharist in the words at the last supper when he says, “Do this in remembrance of me.” During the meal, when he bent down at the feet of his disciples and washed them as a servant would for their master, He told them to do the same for others.

These are the mandates of Christ: To love, to break bread together in his memory, and to love and serve one another.

Tonight, I wash your feet. Literally, if you wish to come forward, or figuratively, should you rather not. I wash your feet as a reminder to me that my calling to this parish is as a servant leader, one who is called to serve and care for you and others. Just as Jesus humbled himself, priests this night are called to humble ourselves as a reminder that our collar makes us no better (or worse) than anyone in this parish or in this world. During the washing of feet I will say “I wash your feet as a reminder of who I am, a follower of Christ.”  

Our purpose, not just mine but all of us Christians, is to serve as leaders. For Jesus tells his disciples, he mandates, that they are also called to ‘wash the feet’ of others, to serve others, to love others.  

Everything we remember and re-enact tonight is about love.  Tonight encapsulates all that we are as Christians. On this last night before his sacrifice, knowing that He is going to die, Jesus loves.

He shares the Last Supper with His closest friends.

He washes their feet.

He commands them to love one another, just as he has loved them.

Tonight I invite you to hear Jesus’ words, not as a person in a pew, in this little village church, a couple of thousands of years later. I call you to hear Jesus’ words as a disciple, with him in that upper room. I call you to hear Jesus’ words as a friend and follower who knows that this divine man is going to sacrifice his life for you. All he asks from you in return is to love one another. Our call as Christians is beautifully simple.

As Jesus said:  Everyone will know that we are followers of Christ if we love one another.

Amen.