Maundy Thursday comes from the Latin Mandatum novum, meaning “new commandment.” Jesus said, “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.”
He said the blessings over the bread and wine, “Blessed are you, O God, for you create the fruit of the vine and the fruit of the earth.” blessings they had heard many times before, and then he told them that, when they ate this meal, the bread would be his body and the wine would be his blood, that this meal would be a special way to call him into their—our—midst.
Most shocking of all, he washed their feet. Peter simply could not stand this. “Lord, you can’t disgrace yourself like this!” But Jesus told him and us that, if we do not let him wash our feet we will have no share in him. We will not be a part of him. We will not be one with him. If we do not let him help us and serve us, we will be putting distance between him and us.
Who ever heard of a king that washes people’s feet? Who ever heard of a king who says, I am among you as one who serves?” No wonder that people in the first century looked at the followers of Jesus and said they were turning the world upside down!
When Peter finally understood, he asked Jesus to wash not only his feet but also his hands and his head. He wanted to be one with Jesus, He wanted to follow Jesus as closely as possible.
Jesus gave us Holy Eucharist as a way to call him into the midst of us, and, except for the first Sunday this Lent, we have been fasting from Holy Communion. After this sermon, we will sing Jesu, Jesu and let him wash our feet in a virtual sense. This can all be quite frustrating.
Yet, maybe, just maybe, we can know, even now, that he is among us and he is serving us and helping us. He is strengthening us. He is feeding us, nourishing us with his presence and his love.
Even in the midst of this strange and unwelcome and tragic fast, in which so many people are dying, in which so many are putting their lives on the line to save others, will we let him wash us? Will we let him cleanse us of anything that might get in the way of his love for us? Will we let his love and healing wash over us and fill us so that we can serve others in his name?
Will we become stronger members of his living Body, which is here on earth to share his love with everyone?
“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, that you have love for one another.” Amen.
Filed under: Reverend Janet Brown, Sermons | Tagged: Holy Eucharist, Mandatum Novum, The Last Supper |
Grace Episcopal Church (Sheldon, VT) 