Holy Thursday is also called Maundy Thursday , which takes its name from the Latin “mandatum” which means command. The command of course is given by Jesus at the Last Supper. “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another.” (John 13:34)
Holy God, source of all love, on the night of his betrayal, Jesus gave us a new commandment, to love one another as he loves us. Write this commandment in our hearts, and give us the will to serve others as he was servant of all, your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Gospel John 13:1–17, 31b–35
Now before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. The devil had already put it into the heart of Judas son of Simon Iscariot to betray him. And during supper Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God, got up from the table, took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was tied around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, ‘Lord, are you going to wash my feet?’ Jesus answered, ‘You do not know now what I am doing, but later you will understand.’ Peter said to him, ‘You will never wash my feet.’ Jesus answered, ‘Unless I wash you, you have no share with me.’ Simon Peter said to him, ‘Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!’ Jesus said to him, ‘One who has bathed does not need to wash, except for the feet, but is entirely clean. And you are clean, though not all of you.’ For he knew who was to betray him; for this reason he said, ‘Not all of you are clean.’
After he had washed their feet, had put on his robe, and had returned to the table, he said to them, ‘Do you know what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord—and you are right, for that is what I am. So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you. Very truly, I tell you, servants are not greater than their master, nor are messengers greater than the one who sent them. If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.
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.’
The gospel of the Lord
Reflection:
Who would not wash the foot of another…if we knew. If we had the chance to take holy water, pour it over warn soles, rub them and towel them dry. If we had the chance to show our love…kneeling at the foot of Holiness in the Other. Would we not rush to the water?
If we had the chance to show our love to the one who washed feet — the one who is holiness? Would we not rush to the water and to him? And yet we cringe at the thought…wash my feet?
Who would not wash the foot of another…if we knew. If we had the chance to take holy water, pour it over warn soles, rub them and towel them dry. If we had the chance to show our love…kneeling at the foot of Holiness in the Other. Would we not rush to the water?
Wash feet – that’s a servant’s job. Yet Jesus who in a marvelous example of humility, girt with a towel, diligently washed the feet of fishermen and even of his betrayer.
Wash feet…I don’t do feet. And yet it is on our feet that we take a stand. On our feet we walk the path to faithfulness, or not.
Who would not wash the foot of another…if we knew. If we had the chance to take holy water, pour it over warn soles, rub them and towel them dry. If we had the chance to show our love…kneeling at the foot of Holiness in the Other. Would we not rush to the water?
On our feet we see the wear and tear of our life’s journey — calluses, bunions, hammer toes. Even a pedicure won’t help these feet. Your feet, my feet, his feet.
Who would not wash the foot of another…if we knew. If we had the chance to take holy water, pour it over warn soles, rub them and towel them dry. If we had the chance to show our love…kneeling at the foot of Holiness in the Other. Would we not rush to the water?
Perhaps these days you feel like water is about to rush over you taking away your very breath. That, after all is a symptom of the virus that threatens us all. But here’s the thing: we are called to meet at the foot of the cross. There we enter into Jesus’ suffering and see what he did for you and me. Jesus washed feet and saved souls…yours, mine and all who come to him. And all would come, if they knew…
The prayers:
United with Christians around the globe on this Maundy Thursday, let us pray for the church, the earth, our troubled world, and all in need. A brief silence
Most holy and blessed Lord, we adore you. We bless you for your love and mercy. We thank you for the Medicine of immortality, graciously offered at the Last Supper and marvelously extended to each of us. We thank you for being so humbly and lovingly washed by Jesus, and called his friends. Help us love one another as he loves us. A brief silence
Blessed are you, holy God, for the church. Gather all the baptized around your presence in the Word. Strengthen the body of your people even when we cannot assemble for worship. Grant bishops, pastors, deacons, musicians, and all worship leaders faithfulness and creativity for their ministry in this time, and accompany those preparing for baptism. A brief silence.
Blessed are you, sovereign God, for our nation. Inspire all people to live in peace and concord. Grant wisdom and courage to heads of state and to legislators as they face the coronavirus. Lead our elected officials to champion the cause of the needy. A brief silence.
Blessed are you, faithful God, for you accompany suffering humanity with love. Abide wherever the coronavirus has struck. Visit all who mourn their dead; all who have contracted the virus; those who are quarantined or stranded away from home; those who have lost their employment; those who fear the present and the future. Support physicians, nurses, and home health aides; medical researchers; and the World Health Organization. A brief silence.
Blessed are you, gracious God, for you care for the needy. We beg you to feed the hungry, protect the refugee, embrace the distressed, house the homeless, nurse the sick, and comfort the dying (especially). A brief silence.
Blessed are you, loving God, that your Son knelt before us, your unworthy servants. Preserve our lives, comfort our anxiety, and receive now the petitions of our hearts…
Blessed are you, eternal God, for all who have died in the faith, especially the martyr Dietrich Bonhoeffer, whom we commemorate today, and those whom we name before you in our hearts. A brief silence.
At the end, bring us with them into your everlasting glory. Receive, merciful God, our prayers, for the sake of Jesus Christ, the host of our meal of life, who died and rose that we might live with you, now and forever. Amen
[prayers from Sundays and Seasons, Augsburg ]
When in the shadow of the cross Christ knelt and washed the feet of his disciples, he gave us a sign of love complete. Let us forgive each other’s faults as we ourselves confess, that we may love each other well in Christian gentleness.
[stanza 2 of Love Consecrates the Humblest Act and stanza 5 of Where Charity and Love Prevail]
The Rev. Ellen Meissgeier