The following events took place on the day of this holy week that we call Thursday:

  1. Our Lord instructs His disciples to prepare for the Passover (Matt 26:17-19; Mark 14:12-16; Luke 22:7-113)
  2. Our Lord presides over the final Passover and forever transforms its illustrative commemorating power into a perpetual memorial of His self-sacrifice (Matt 26:20-29; Mark 14:17-23; Luke 22:14-30)
  3. Our Lord washes the feet of His disciples and  issues a “new commandment” to them (John 13)
  4. Our Lord comforts and counsels His disciples in what is commonly referred to as His farewell discourse (John 14-16)
  5. Our Lord discharges His “heart-cry” prayer, praying that God (Father and Son) be glorified, that His disciples be sanctified, that His church be unified (John 17)
  6. Our Lord leads the disciples into the Garden of Gethsemane (Matt 26:36-46; Mark 14:32-42; Luke 22:40-46; John 18:1)

The custom of the early church was to call this day “Maundy Thursday” as it was the day that Christ gave the new commandment (see John 13:34 below). “Maundy” comes from the Latin word mandatum, which means commandment.

Let us commemorate the deep love of God and His mandatum for us to reflect and walk in His love. May we deliberate intently on how we are commanded to love one another as Christ has loved us.

“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.” —Jesus Christ

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