Maundy Thursday

Last night, I attended Maundy Thursday, or Holy Thursday, services at church.  This service has long been one of my favorites.  The Last Supper itself is a fascinating event.  The Passover Meal, shared amongst Jesus' followers, and Jesus calling out Judas.

From Twitter last night: David Hansen ‏ @rev_david  #thatawkwardmoment When your friend calls you out at dinner for plotting to kill him. #maundythursday

As part of my experience of the evening, last night I tweeted through the service [Rocky thought I shouldn't have done that as I should have been "paying attention." I feel like I was just taking notes.] and I have decided I want to "keep" those tweets by preserving them here. 

#MaundyThursday a new commandment given so long ago on this holy day

All are welcomed to His table tonight

Come, be a part of His story. Of his feast.

John 13:1 The full extent of His love for us. He allowed the events to transpire. [It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. ]

Peter's unbridled enthusiasm! John 13. [v 9 “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!” ]

Am I just going through the motions of Easter? Or am I participating fully?

Is it I Lord? How have I betrayed my Lord today?

Have I washed my hands of the responsibility today? Where have I been inactive?

How have I been changed by this meal? By His sacrifice?

Change my heart oh God may I be like you.

Holy communion is the family of God coming together, where our hands & hearts come together

RT Jeff Rudy ‏ @jmrudy81 "Greater love has no one than this, that someone lays down his life for his friends." - Jesus #MaundyThursday
Thank you Lord for that unspeakable gift that is ours.

The mandatum "new commandment" Love each other as I have loved you.

There were a lot of Tweets with the #MaundyThursday hashtag and I thought about checking the #HolyThursday hashtag, but the ritual person in me prefers to call this day "Maundy Thursday." And now seeing that Maundy is actually from the Latin Mandatum for a "New Commandment," I think I prefer it even more.

I leave this post with a verse from a song Dave Oltrogge, one of our music ministry leaders at church, wrote a few years ago for this very service.  The song is called "The Upper Room."

Please remember this night and what we do
The broken bread and cup and the life poured out for you
Please remember that in this upper room
You were with Jesus the Lamb God gave for you.
You were with Jesus.