05
Apr
Ingrid
Courtesy of Google Image

Most of us are familiar with Palm Sunday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday. But how much do we know about Maundy Thursday? Maundy Thursday is the Thursday before Easter. According to various reliable sources that I read online, the word ‘Maundy’ for Maundy Thursday comes from a Latin word mandatum, which means commandment. This commandment is referring to Jesus’ command in John 13. Jesus said (verse 34-35):

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

John 13 tells the story when Jesus washed his disciples’ feet on the night before his crucifixion. When Peter, one of his disciples, refused to have his feet washed, Jesus simply respond that he will soon understand the meaning. Peter finally did understand… It is a symbol of Jesus’ love to him… to you…and to me…The creator of the universe loves us so much that he would stoop down and wash the calloused feet of his creations…

In verse 14 and 15, Jesus said to his disciples:

Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.

This is a call for us on this Maundy Thursday to wash one another’s feet (*read: love and serve one another). On this Maundy Thursday, the night before his crucifixion, let’s think of ways to obey his command to love and serve others and put them into actions.