Maundy Thursday

Weird name, Maundy. It's Latin for "mandate" or "command." It is an important day, though, for Christians because Jesus shared His last thoughts with His disciples before the crucifixion and we can be sure that they were at the heart of what God was trying to get through to them - and to us. 

The command is, of course, that found at the Last Supper and set out in John 13:34-35:

"34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”

He elaborates on this in John 17 when he expands on what this means from a practical standpoint and why:

"20 “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, 21 that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— 23 I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me."   John 17:20-23 (emphasis added).

Will Christians have disagreements? Sure, both theological and practical. But we are to love each other regardless as a witness to our unity in Christ that the world may know that He really is who He says He is. In other words, He has put His reputation in our hands - a scary thought. 

The necessary catalyst to this happening is forgiveness. Colossians lays it out:

"12 Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity."  Col. 3:12-14 (emphasis added).

That's what Maundy Thursday is about, so get past the name, forgive someone as Christ has forgiven you (think Good Friday) and be part of the living testament of His Church that Jesus really is the Christ, the only begotten Son of God. Amen.