Maundy Thursday

Maundy has roots in the same word as mandate.

I find that especially interesting in this day of bigger and better and more influential.

VIP’s get to give out mandates — they tell the other people what to do, and when and how, and what will happen if they don’t!

Who does not immediately think of certain VIP’s when they think of mandate-makers? Everyone from parents to tyrants does this for one reason or another, surely.

Some people get all puffed up and fierce when they issue mandates — even parents! Some come with a threatening symbol of power in hand: the warning of a penance to be paid, or a punishment to be endured, or even the gallows.

The mandate that Maundy Thursday is about is very different. It is about a VIP demonstrating the way a Christian should act. To wit, a powerful person kneeling to do the most humble task to a fellow human. It is the foot-washing that one reads about in the New Testament gospels.

Trust Jesus to ask us to do the opposite of what our human nature is inclined to do. The power of humility is counter-intuitive!

Rather than lambasting a poor wretch with no power — indeed, with no possibility of power ever to come — the Gospel describes the God in Man, on the day before his death for the sake of wretches like us, washing the feet of his disciples.

Remember that the disciples at this point are feeling very vulnerable, and one of them is connected with accepting money to target Jesus, and another one is denying vehemently that he ever believed in Jesus! These are not models of kindness and respect!

They are sticking their dusty feed out, fresh from well worn, and dusty sandals, and letting Jesus do the dirty work for them. He insists.

Then he tells them that in order to follow his example, they must do this for others.

THEY? Kneeling down and washing Sinners’ feet????

How dare he mandate such a thing! They, after all, are chosen ones — the people later called apostles and saints!

What a hard act to follow!

What a mandate!

It is a temptation for a mere human being to take things into his own hands and call the shots to his underlings — to punish those who don’t toe the line.
We are asked to serve the underlings. not dress them down, or point fingers at them.

Well, what does everyone think, Christians or not? Is service more powerful than blunderbuss?

Just asking.

SGHolland, Maundy Thursday, 2018