Last year I had an exciting experience of attending a Catholic church on the day of Maundy Thursday. It was the evening service. Everything was quiet and mysterious. The crucifix and the altar were decorated with the violet cloth and there were not any flowers in the church. People were kneeling and praying, touching their bids, whispering their prayers and some Latin words could be heard.
The Holy Mass started. From the very beginning, it was quite ordinary. The people were singing and the priest with his ministers started the mass with the incense that was burned in the censer. Then the priest said the words of greetings and thanked their parishioners for coming to the church. Ha explained the great importance of the day – the day when Jesus Christ had the last supper with His disciples to celebrate the Jewish fist of Passover and that this day the Eucharist was established. The Latin word “maundy” means “command”, the command that Jesus gave to his apostles to love and serve each other. (Catholicculture.org)
The first reading was from the Old Testament, Exodus 12:1-8, 11-14. In these passages God ordered Moses and Aaron to prepare the sacred lamb and at that night the Lord’s Passover was set up. “For I will pass through the Land of Egypt on that night, and I will strike all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and beast; and against all the gods of Egypt I will execute judgment: I am the Lord.” (Ex. 12:12 New King James Version)
Then the woman in her early thirties sang a psalm 116 and the participants sang the refrain together with the singer “Our blessing cup is a communion in the Blood of Christ.”
The second reading was from the New Testament from The First Epistle of Paul the Apostle to the Corinthians. “For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: That the lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread; and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, “Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me.” In the same manner, He also took the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes.” (1 Cor. 11:23-26 New King James Version) That passage helped us to understand the meaning of the Eucharist.
The core reading of every mass is the Gospels. On the day of Holy Thursday, the Gospel according to John 13:1-15 was read. This chapter told us about the Last Supper. Jesus knew, that his life on the earth ended and Judas Iscariot was going to betray Him. So he prepared everything for the fist and invited His friend to share the meal with Him. Before they started eating Jesus washed the disciples’ feet and wet them with His towel. Peter refused to be washed by Jesus because he thought he had not deserved it. Jesus insisted saying that everybody were clean except the one. He meant Judas but did not say his name. (John 13:1-11 New King James Version) “So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sit down, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? “You call me the teacher and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. “If then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. “For I have given you an example that you should do as I have done to you.” (John 13:12-15)
During the sermon, the priest explained that on Maundy Thursday the sacrament of priesthood was set up. Washing feet was the symbol of service. Christ saved the people from the slavery of sins and the Eucharist fed and strengthened us so we could serve our brothers and sisters. In order to reinforce that important teaching of Jesus, the priest of the mass washed the feet of the members of the community. (Online) After the sermon, there was a ceremony of feet washing. The ministrants placed twelve chairs near the altar. The twelve men of different ages came up and sat down on the chairs. They took off their shoes and the priest washed their feet carrying the bowl full of water from the one to another and wetting their feet with the white clean towel. During the ceremony the special hymn “Transfigure Us, Oh Lord” was performed.
After the ceremony, the mass continued in its usual way.
Maundy Thursday is one of the most important events for Christians. This day opens the three- day celebration of Easter and reminds us about the establishment of the basis of the Church, the Eucharist and the priesthood.
References
Catholicculture.org,. "Catholic News, Commentary, Information, Resources, And The Liturgical Year". N.p., 2016. Web. 1 Mar. 2016.
Holy Bible New King James Version. 2nd ed. Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson, Inc., 2016. Print.
Online, Catholic. "Holy Thursday - Easter / Lent - Catholic Life - Catholic Online". Catholic.org. N.p., 2016. Web. 1 Mar. 2016.
