"Mandatum novum do vobis ut diligatis invicem sicut
dilexi vos"" ("A new commandment I give unto you, That you love
one another; as I have loved you"),
This is the Latin phrase from which we get "Maundy
Thursday". It fits the day perfectly. Jesus gives us this command in
action first, later He gives it in word. This day began with a series of
teachings, and the sun set on a final dinner with his closest friends, in a
borrowed banquet room. At that dinner, He would be misunderstood by his
friends...yet again...asked for favoritism, each man would proclaim his undying
loyalty despite what Jesus said. Then He would send His betrayer on his way and
turn his disciples tables upside down, yet again, by taking on a servants job
and washing their feet. When this was over He would ask a handful of them to
stay by Him through the night and pray for Him while He wrestled with His
Fathers' will. His friends would fail him and sleep their way through the hour
of His greatest need. He would wrestle alone, ask not once but three times, and
with enough overwhelming urgency that he would break his capillaries and blood
would mingle with His sweat. He would ask three times for His Father to change
His plans and make a different way other than the cup of suffering He was being
asked to drink. Three times His Father would say "No", choosing
instead to strengthen His beloved Son with enough Grace for the task at hand.
He would go and awaken his sleeping friends and the chill of the night would be
interrupted by the glow of torches and the rumble of soldiers and the icy
betrayal of the kiss of a friend. His friends would scatter and the one who
remained within sight, would curse and use profanity in an effort to prove he
wasn't a follower. Then the rooster would crow...and it would be Friday...
Jesus was
facing His impending death. He knew this by now. He knew how bad it would be to
take on the sin of the world. He knew that it meant separation from his Father.
He knew it meant a battle for the souls of men even though He knew there was no
good thing in those souls. He chose to come here, chose to live here and chose
to die here, for us. In those last hours, I wonder what went through his mind.
Did he write a letter to Mary and tell her he loved her? Did he find himself
caught up in reminiscences of happy times in his childhood? Did He draw a deep
breath and smell the salt spray of the ocean that last night in Bethany? Did he
spend any special, individual time with his friends...time we don't know
about...chatting and remembering? Did he choke on his words at any point? Was
he emotional at all? When he performed the breaking of the bread, the liturgy
we now use to celebrate His death, did it make him wince just a little? For us
it is symbolism...for Him, at that moment...it was about to happen for real.
Did He wonder how God was going to pull this little band together after He was
gone? I know he trusted His father to do it, and take care of them, but did He
wonder to Himself..."I don't know how, Father...they still don't seem to get it." Did He commend his few personal
effects to one of his friends...maybe telling them to sell them and give the
money to his mother? When he dipped the bread into the bowl and declared Judas
the traitor...did his hand touch Judas' for an instant and did it break his heart?
When he told Judas, "What you do...do quickly..." was there breaking in his voice? Most of us have
been betrayed by a friend at one time or other...few have known full well it
was coming. Jesus was a man, after all...the Total man...how would I have handled
this? Thank God we never have to find out.
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