Thought about Maundy Thursday

Maundy Thursday. Such and odd name for a day of Holy Week. I've really been thinking about it and what it means.

Wikipedia - Maundy Thursday defined as:

"Maundy Thursday (also known as Holy Thursday or Great and Holy Thursday), is the Christian feast or holy day falling on the Thursday before Easter that commemorates the Last Supper of Jesus Christ with the Apostles. It is the fifth day of Holy Week, and is preceded by Holy Wednesday and followed by Good Friday."

While this fantastic encyclopedia offers a good explanation - I'm not sure it really captures the meaning of this Holy day Christians celebrate.

Here's how it all began: Jesus came to Jerusalem for the Passover festival. This is a major festival for Jews and therefore important to Jesus. Jews were celebrating the release from slavery in Egypt.

So Jesus and his disciples gathered together to celebrate this festival - just like they were accustomed to doing. It was common to celebrate this meal with wine and flat-bread. (Much like the elements we use today for Communion.)

Here's what Jesus did: But Jesus changed things up a little bit. The Passover meal was a commemorative meal. Jesus encouraged his disciples to remember this meal. He told his disciples to remember him each time they partook in the meal. Jesus was saying - remember what I have taught you: To love God, your neighbor, and yourself (paraphrased: Matthew 22:34-40).

This is what it means: On Maundy Thursday we are reminded that TOMORROW - Jesus Christ hangs tortuously on the cross - taking on the sins of the ALL. Releasing us from our slavery: sin. As humans - we're not perfect - we mess up... a lot. But we're forgiven - we're released from the punishment that comes from living in a messed up world - because of what Jesus Christ did for all of us.

That is why we celebrate the Lord's Supper. At the supper (particularly tonight) we are reminded of all that Jesus Christ did. Just like the Jews remember Passover as a time when God released them from slavery in Egypt - we are reminded on Maundy Thursday that what Christ will do for us on Friday, will release us from the slavery we are in.