Why Christians Need a Maundy Thursday Faith Long after Easter
Have you considered walking away from the church due to disillusionment or pain? Many have gone through the phenomenon known as “ dechurching .” If the answer is yes, then even after Easter, Maundy Thursday has a message for you. The word “Maundy” derives from the Latin word mandatum, which means “mandate” or “command.” On Maundy Thursday, Jesus gave his disciples a final commandment before he was betrayed, arrested, and condemned to suffer on the cross. Jesus instructed, “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another” (John 13:34). Any commandment of Jesus is not to be taken lightly. Still, certainly the last one that he gave holds special significance. Show this love to himself, he shared a symbolic meal with his disciples and washed their feet. He shared a Passover meal, signifying Jesus’ role as the final Passover Lamb. It is also called the Last Supper and lays the biblical precedent for the sacrament of communion. While a...
