Today is Maundy Thursday in the Christian Calendar. It is celebrated as the day before the crucifixion of Jesus. It is the day and evening that Jesus washed the feet of the 12 disciples and instituted the Last Supper with those men.
The word maundy refers to a command or a mandate. In this case it would be something that Jesus commanded his men to observe. Some churches practice foot washing and most all observe the practice of the Lord's Supper on a regular basis, but the mandate seems to go much farther than just the observance of an act.
The foot washing in Jesus time was a menial job, done by a servant for the comfort of the guests in the home. It was a thankless job, and the person who performed the act was not looked up to by any means. It seems what Jesus was teaching his disciples with His act of washing their feet was that their service for Him should be that of a servant, looking to the benefit of others without regard of their standing or position. No one was too good for lowly work.
The other command had to do with remembering. Jesus told them to remember what was happening in that moment and what would happen over the next 3 days. Even though they did not comprehend all that He talked about, He commanded them to remember. Observance of the Lord's Supper is an act of remembrance. When we give out the wafer or bread, we use the words " this is the body of Christ, broken for you". Likewise with the cup we say, "this is the blood of Christ, shed for you", making it personal for the communicant, "It was for you".
So, I take all that Jesus has done for me, remembering the events and the conclusion, and carry all that with me as I serve others in His Name.
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