What Is Maundy Thursday?
Also
referred to as "Holy Thursday" or "Great Thursday" in some Christian denominations.
Maundy Thursday commemorates the Last Supper when Jesus shared the Passover meal with his disciples on the night before he
was crucified.
In
contrast to joyful Easter celebrations when Christians worship their resurrected Savior, Maundy Thursday
services are typically more solemn occasions, marked by the shadow of Jesus'
betrayal.
While different
denominations observe Maundy Thursday in their own distinct ways, two important
biblical events are the primary focus of Maundy Thursday solemnizations:
Before the Passover meal,
Jesus washed the feet of his disciples.
By performing this lowly
act of service, the Bible says in John 13:1 that Jesus "showed them the full extent
of his love."
By his example, Jesus
demonstrated how Christians are to love one another through humble service. For
this reason, many churches practice foot-washing ceremonies as a part of their
Maundy Thursday services.
During the Passover meal,
Jesus took bread and
wine and asked his
Father to bless it. He broke the bread into pieces, giving it to his disciples
and said, "This is my body, given for you. Do this in remembrance of
me." Then he took the cup of wine, shared it with his disciples and said,
"This wine is the token of God's new covenant to save you--an agreement
sealed with the blood I will pour out for you."
These events recorded in
Luke 22:19-20 describe the Last Supper and form the biblical basis for the
practice of Communion.
For this reason, many
churches hold special Communion
services as a part of
their Maundy Thursday celebrations.
Likewise, many
congregations observe a traditional Passover Seder meal.
What Does
"Maundy" Mean?
Derived
from the Latin word mandatum, meaning commandment," Maundy refers to the commands Jesus gave his
disciples at the Last Supper: to love with
humility by serving one another and to remember his sacrifice.
http://christianity.about.com/od/easter/qt/maundythursday.htm
What Is Maundy Thursday?
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