Thursday, April 21, 2011

Holy Thursday or Maundy Thursday.

Today we honor the Lord's Supper preceding the Easter Weekend
and our celebration of the Lord's Death and Resurrection. Also,
in some settings of Christianity a foot washing is traditional
for this Christian Holiday.


Traditional Reading from John Chapter 13:1-20 NKJV

1 Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that His hour had come that He should depart from this world to the Father, having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end.

2 And supper being ended, the devil having already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray Him, 3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God, 4 rose from supper and laid aside His garments, took a towel and girded Himself. 5 After that, He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which He was girded. 6 Then He came to Simon Peter. And Peter said to Him, “Lord, are You washing my feet?”

7 Jesus answered and said to him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but you will know after this.”

8 Peter said to Him, “You shall never wash my feet!”
Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.”

9 Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!”

10 Jesus said to him, “He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you.” 11 For He knew who would betray Him; therefore He said, “You are not all clean.”

12 So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? 13 You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you. 16 Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. 17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.

18 “I do not speak concerning all of you. I know whom I have chosen; but that the Scripture may be fulfilled, ‘He who eats bread with Me has lifted up his heel against Me.’ 19 Now I tell you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe that I am He. 20 Most assuredly, I say to you, he who receives whomever I send receives Me; and he who receives Me receives Him who sent Me.”

Here in this passage of New Testament scripture the setting for the Last Supper and footwashing ceremony are commemorated. We also have the charges of the Lord on a couple of issues, and the beginning stages forthcoming in the verses following concerning the betrayal of Judas Iscariot.

In this powerful setting we have so many awesome Christian practices mentioned. I would also like to say as well some of the best imagery of the Church. For here our the beginning stages of what would become a memorial supper we in Christianity cherish. With all its powerful historical narratives concerning the steps being laid for fellowship in the early church, and the Lord's crucifixion and resurrection.

Here during this Easter Week a great deal of the Church's artistry and creative genius is found as well. For there are hundreds of priceless paintings or murals that depict various events leading up to Calvary. With the Lord's Supper being probably the most popular portrayal by ancient and relatively modern artists.

Cherish your time together in His presence and find yourself at some point in this weekend's events. Taking time to reflect upon and take in the whole experience of Easter. From Communion to the Stations of the Cross, to coming together in fellowship in a variety of traditional and non-traditional forums.

God bless you all on this special day. I also am going to include a link to dear friends blog concerning this Holy Day that I think will be a blessing to many.

SALVATION HAS COME!


---------------------------------------------------------

Here is the Link I mentioned to Rev. Bosco Peters Blog.

No comments:

Post a Comment