I am eagerly looking forward to Easter Sunday. Most people are aware of why we celebrate Easter and will try their best to be in church on that special Sunday dressed in their finest clothes. However, I believe many people are unsure what a Maundy Thursday service is all about, and even fewer will attend this extremely essential moment of Holy Week.
This Holy Thursday service, as it is also called, is a night in which Christians commemorate the supper Jesus shared with his disciples before his crucifixion. It recalls when Jesus washed the disciples’ feet and instituted the Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper.
Maundy Thursday gets its name from the new commandment (mandatum novum in Latin) Jesus gave the disciples in John 13:34 – to love one another. Many churches incorporate a foot washing service as part of the worship (we will not) and observe the Lord’s Supper (we will).
We will also observe the ancient practice of stripping the altar and sanctuary following Holy Communion. This is a vivid and dramatic way of showing the desolation and abandonment of Jesus’ long night in Gethsemane and what followed. Designated individuals will quietly remove the paraments and carry them from the sanctuary. Lastly, someone will reenact the sound of the pounding of nails. It is all quite moving, emotionally charged and thought-provoking.
I hope you will consider attending our Maundy Thursday service on Thursday, April 2, at 6:30 p.m. I think you will find it to be a very meaningful time of worship that recalls Jesus’ ultimate sacrifice for us.
In Christ,
Kurt