On Holy Thursday our journey of remembrance takes us to the Upper Room in Jerusalem where Jesus celebrated the Last Supper with his Apostles. First we are reminded of the occasion that brought them to the holy city.
A reading from Chapter 12 of the Book of Exodus retells the story of the first Passover, when in the tenth plague all of the Egyptian’s firstborn were smitten by the Angel of Death, but the homes of the Hebrews whose door posts were marked with the blood of a slain lamb, were passed over. Jesus and thousands of other Jews were gathered in Jerusalem for the annual solemn celebration of that event. The Last Supper was probably a Passover Supper.
Sometimes Holy Thursday is called Maundy Thursday derived from the Latin word “mandatum” or command, referring to the two commands given by Jesus at the supper.
Paul tells of the first command in First Corinthians Chapter 11 when,
“The Lord Jesus, on the night he was handed over,
took bread, and, after he had given thanks,
broke it and said, “This is my body that is for you.
Do this in remembrance of me.”
With that command the Lord instituted the Holy Eucharist and established the sacramental priesthood to insure its continuance.
We turn to John 13 for Jesus’ second mandatum or command. After performing the task of a slave in washing the feet of His Apostles the Lord said to them:
“If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet,
you ought to wash one another’s feet.
I have given you a model to follow,
so that as I have done for you, you should also do.”
Thus Jesus’ two commands at the Last Supper were to celebrate the Eucharist “in remembrance of me,” and to wash one another’s feet “as I have done for you,” call us to worship of God and to service of others.
We know from John 13:2 that Judas has already left to hand Him over, and so, after the supper Jesus and the Apostles went across the valley to the Garden of Gethsemane where the betrayal would take place.
Just as Jesus went to a quiet place to await his Passion, the Eucharistic presence of Jesus is removed from the church and taken to a quiet place of reservation to await Good Friday.
Photo Credit: RevSteve on Flicrk
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