Maundy Thursday 2019: We all know about Good Friday and Easter without a doubt but do you know really about Maundy Thursday? If not then this article is all about it. Maundy Thursday is also known as Holy Thursday, Covenant Thursday, Great and Holy Thursday, Sheer Thursday, Thursday of Mysteries, amongst further names.
Maundy Thursday is basically the Thursday just before Easter and the day is believed to be the day when Jesus celebrated his last Passover with his followers. Most remarkably, that Passover meal was when Jesus washes away the feet of his followers in an astonishing presentation of humbleness. He then directed them to do the similar for every single one respectively.
What is Maundy Thursday And What Does it mean?
Maundy Thursday is the Christian holy day celebrated on the Thursday before Easter. It honors and memorializes the foot washing (Maundy) as well as the Last Supper of Jesus Christ with the Apostles, as referred in the canonical gospels. It is considered to be the fifth day of Holy Week, headed by Holy Wednesday as well as followed by Good Friday.
The word “Maun-” is basically from Old Norse, existent of munu which means shall or will; similar to Old English gemynd which means mind. “Maundy”, is a short form of mandatum (Latin) meaning “command.” It was on the Thursday of Christ’s last week in advance of being crucified and resuscitated that He said these words to his followers:
“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another” (John 13:34).
When is Maundy Thursday?
Maundy Thursday always falls between March 19 and April 22 generally, but these dates also fall on not the same days depending on which calendar is used liturgically whether the Gregorian calendar or Julian calendar.
Eastern churches usually use the Julian calendar and rejoice this feast all through the 21st century in the middle of April 1 and May 5 in the more usually used Gregorian calendar. The ritual is being held on the evening of Maundy Thursday which starts the Easter Triduum, the period which honours and remembers the desire, death, and revival of Jesus. This period comprises Good Friday and Holy Saturday, and then finally ends on the evening of Easter.
The Mass of the Lord’s Supper or service of devotion is usually celebrated in the evening, when Friday arises as per to the Jewish tradition, as the Last Supper was said on the feast of Passover, according to the three Synoptic Gospels.
Maundy Thursday Bible Verses
Luke 22:27-38: “When the hour came, Jesus and his apostles reclined at the table. 15 And he said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer. For I tell you, I will not eat it again until it finds fulfillment in the kingdom of God.” After taking the cup, he gave thanks and said, “Take this and divide it among you. For I tell you I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” And he took bread, gave thanks and broke it, and gave it to them, saying, “This is my body given for you; do this in remembrance of me…”
John 13:2-17: “Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.” “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”
Philippians 2:1-11: “Therefore if you have any encouragement from being united with Christ, if any comfort from his love, if any common sharing in the Spirit, if any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and of one mind. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit. Rather, in humility value others above yourselves, not looking to your own interests but each of you to the interests of the others. In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness…”
