A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion The Banter Hall Home for the Holidays Maundy Thursday

Today is Maundy Thursday, the fifth day of Holy Week, referencing the last Thursday before Easter. It is also known variously as "Holy Thursday" and "Great and Holy Thursday".

The word "Maundy" derives from Middle English through the Latin "Mandatum", the first word in the phrase "A new commandment I give unto you, that you love one another as I have loved you." which was recorded in the Gospel of John as spoken by Jesus. mandatum novum do vobis ut diligatis invicem sicut dilexi vos

This is the night observed as when Jesus met with His disciples for the Last Supper. Thus, four specific events are commemorated by Christians....
1) The washing of the Disciples feet by Jesus
2) The institution of Communion at the Last Supper (the breaking of bread and drinking of wine) as a holy mystery
3) His agony in the Garden of Gethsemene
4) His betrayal by Judas Iscariot

Although the particular observances on this holy day vary from place to place according to certain faith traditions, it is recognized by Christians worldwide as a remarkable turning point in history... for no matter what you may think of Jesus in a religious sense, there is still the political and personal injustice of a good man betrayed and arrested without Cause.

For His followers at that time, it was truly the End of An Era. They had been his intimate companions for three years, traveling the countryside, listening to Him teach, sharing meals and discussions, witnessing His ministry and miracles, while knowing the political and religious unrest of the day was growing. In that vast confusion of hope & despair, complacency and protest, radical new ideas and tradition, Jesus stood as Himself.

The shock and horror of His arrest left his disciples bewildered and scattered in hiding, fearful for their own safety. Those three marvelous, exciting years together were over. No more campouts by the fire eating fish, no more large gatherings with thousands of people listening to the Lord teach, no more difficult statements to unravel, no more watching people healed and set free. It was all swept away, all gone!

The dread they must have felt once the arrest took place, guessing what sad and terrible events were yet to come -- and they were powerless to stop it.

I have always thought of Maundy Thursday as the Loneliest Night of the Year for He has been taken away to face the unspeakable all alone.

So, as His followers in contemporary times, we commemorate the events of that fateful evening as we gather together. Reflecting on these matters, it always seems to help that we have the option of getting together with our family and friends. Even if no church gathering is in our plans, we can still have a meal and share a lovely family time together as He did on that night with those He loved. And if we are lonely in the recognition of what ultimately happened to Him afterwards, we have the comfort of those we love safely at hand.




Merme

thank you Merme.