Re-Drafting My Spiritual Formation – Log #7: Fresh Meaning for the Easter Season

I’ve been a “Christian” for going on 60 years. But, in a fascinating sort of way, I’m just now discovering some of the richness in the faith that I had obviously just “glossed over” in the past.

Last night my wife and I went to Maundy Thursday Services at the Lutheran Church we are attending. Maundy Thursday is the day during which we observe and celebrate Christ’s last Passover meal with his disciples, just before he was led away early the next morning to be crucified.

The event is commonly known as “The Last Supper”, from which the practice and Sacrament of Holy Communion is derived. But the Maundy Thursday rite embraces additional truths.

First, it is the inauguration of the “Triduum”, the three final days of Lent. In the Lutheran tradition at least, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Saturday night’s Easter Vigil (waiting, as the women did, for the resurrection) are observed as a continuous celebration commemorating the central acts of Christianity, as each day requires the others for full understanding and meaning.

At some Maundy Thursday observances a “foot washing” ceremony is held, signifying the servitude Jesus exemplified as he washed the disciples’ feet as they gathered for the Last Supper. Our service, incidentally, did not include the foot washing custom.

The word “Maundy” is an English form of the Latin word for “commandment”. We also get our word “mandate” from this root. Jesus’ new commandment to his disciples was that they should “love one another even as I have loved you”. His ultimate example of love was to give himself on the cross for all of us.

After a sermon by the Rev. Kent Shane that expanded a bit more on the reasons for this observance, we then concluded our worship with the celebration of Holy Communion, along with the prayer that we will become Christ-like in offering ourselves in loving service to the world around us.

We dismissed, interestingly, with no benediction. The same will be true at tonight’s Good Friday service as well as at tomorrow night’s Easter Vigil. The benediction is withheld until Sunday, at the glorious conclusion of our Easter celebration, when the meaning and message of the season is complete.

Thanks be to God.