Maundy Thursday
In Christianity, Maundy Thursday is the Thursday before Easter. It is the day/night of the Last Supper, where Jesus gave the first communion and then was betrayed, and healed the Roman dude’s ear after someone cut it off. We’ve always had a church service on this evening with communion etc.
Last night was Maundy Thursday and I went to church, but didn’t make it to communion (more on that later). I’ve always liked going to the Maundy Thursday service, which is strange because it’s a pretty depressing service. In the story, Jesus does a lot “one of you is going to betray me. You know it and I know it, so let’s cut the crap and drink some wine, then I’ll forgive you.” He may not have said it exactly like that, but that’s the gist of it.
I’ve always said that for a Christain to truly understand Easter, you have to experience Maundy Thursday, and go through the communion and the betrayal. Then the ressurection stuff means a lot more. I was thinking about it some more yesterday and this is partly true. To REALLY understand Easter, you have to do the whole thing, from Palm Sunday, through Maundy Thursday and Good Friday (because Good Friday is really the low point of the whole story, with the crucifixion and all). Then the joy of Easter means that much more.
It’s always bothered me a bit that some churches have communion on Easter. I’ve had this discussion with Dad, and I think he kind of agrees with me, but tradition holds. Communion is for Maundy Thursday. If it were up to me (and it never is) communion would ONLY be served on Maundy Thursday, and maybe World Communion Sunday. Dad’s church (our church) does communion 4 times a year (I think). Maybe this is the “official” Presbyterian communion times, because Parkview seems to do communion more than four times a year. Of course, I’m there less than four times a year, so maybe I don’t know anything.
It’s Good Friday today. Not much good was going on 2000 years ago on this Friday.
srg