Maundy Thursday

The phrase is novum mandatum – a “new commandment” that Jesus gives his disciples on the night Judas betrayed him.  This phrase lends its name to the title we give this day: Maundy Thursday (the day of the commandment).

It is a day that is chock-full of significant activity.  Jesus instituted The Eucharist on this night.  He washed the feet of the disciples while in the Upper Room.  He identified Judas as a betrayer, if only to “the disciple whom he loved.”  Jesus undergoes The Agony in Gethsemane this night.  The Sanhedrin guards arrest Jesus after Judas Iscariot betrays him.  The apostles abandon him.  The guards bring him before the Sanhedrin.  Peter thrice denies him.  He may even make the initial appearance in the presence of Pontius Pilate before Thursday is over.

The church will rehearse many of these things in Maundy Thursday worship services.  Each recollection reveals some aspect of the work of Jesus or of the Divine Plan.

It is worth noting that the church remembers this night every time it gathers at the Communion Table.  Outside of the acts that surround the institution of the Sacrament, the church doesn’t say much about the plenteous events of the night.  In fact, of all the other activities that took place in that evening, the church only references one.  Our Communion liturgy says, “On the night in which he was betrayed he took bread…”

I think that is striking.  Out of all that occurred that night, the church highlights the betrayal.  Judas’ identifying Jesus to the officials isn’t related to the activity surrounding the table at all, except that they both took place on the same evening.

Maybe – maybe –the church does this because Jesus is rehearsing his death prior to its imminent occurring.  At table he says, “I will not drink again of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.” Later that evening, the events will set in motion that process by which Christ establishes the Kingdom in its fullness.  Maybe – maybe – it is of extreme necessity that the church links the two acts, Eucharist and betrayal, in its liturgy.   They may be two sides of the same coin.  Maybe -- maybe -- it is necessary to remember about that night that there were things Jesus did (like institute the Eucharist) and there were things humans did (wrapped up in the single act of betrayal; after all, of the things human beings did in the stories of that evening, none of them are very admirable).  

 "On the night in which Jesus agonized?"  No.  "On the night when all whom he held dear abandoned him?"  Uh-uh.  "On the night they arrested him?"  No pizzazz.

"On the night in which he was betrayed?"  I think I got it.