April 9th: Maundy Thursday
Dear friends and members of St. Matt's,
Maundy Thursday begins the three most sacred days of our year. The fancy word for these three days is the Triduum. While I'm using fancy words, the word Maundy comes from the Latin word mandatum which means commandment. (You can read more about that here.) That means that while there are several important pieces of the story for today, at the center of it all is the commandment that Jesus gives to the disciples and to us.
When he had gone out, Jesus said, ‘Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me; and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, “Where I am going, you cannot come.” I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.’ [John 13:31-35]
I give you a new commandment. That you love one another as I have loved you. This is at the heart of this day. It links the washing of the feet to the Eucharist to Jesus' submission to God's will in the garden of Gethsemane. Join us for worship tonight at 7pm (on Facebook Live or on our website). Click here to download the worship bulletin. And scroll down a little further to see how to continue building your home altar today.
God bless you and keep you.
Faithfully,
--Marissa +