Not-So-New Commandment
As a young child, mishearing one of the Holy Week observations as “Monday Thursday” convinced me that the church calendar was somehow twisting the rules Western measurements had placed upon the passing of time. The realization that the supposed bulletin typo was indeed intentional and referred to “Maundy Thursday” ultimately confirmed this theory in a odd way. Derived from the Latin mandatum meaning “command,” Maundy Thursday echoes the overarching story of the divine with a command to love one another. Jesus instructs, “Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.”
Whether referred to as the Last Supper or the first Eucharist, the events of Maundy Thursday convey the timelessness of the responsibility of a God follower—love one another, lead with humility, and remain grounded in prayer. This invitation to a deepened understanding of spiritual relations was grounded in the familiar Passover practice of the Jewish disciples, both an affirmation of who they were and a call to be a part of something still unfolding. As many of us prepare to engage in Holy Week traditions, we step into the cycles of life and death, tradition and innovation, old commandments and new applications. What a joy to explore and celebrate in community!
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In peace,
