Maundy Thursday 2025

 Maundy Thursday 2025

We gather this evening on this sacred Maundy Thursday and enter into a profound moment of remembrance and reflection. This night marks the beginning of what is commonly known in the church as the Triduum. Like the Trinity it means we have one service that is seen in 3 parts – Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday are parts of the whole picture. All are needed – none stands by their own.

Maundy Thursday is a time where we journey with Jesus through the Last Supper, His betrayal, and the mystery of His suffering and resurrection. It is a night rich with meaning, and it calls us to pause and reflect on the significance of the Last Supper, the washing of the disciples’ feet, and the new commandment given by Christ.

In the Last Supper found in all the Gospels, we see Jesus break bread and share the cup with His disciples.  This ordinary meal transforms into the extraordinary—a moment of deep communion with one another and with God. 

In this meal, Jesus institutes Holy Communion, a sacrament that has been celebrated by the Church to receive Jesus Christ’s True Presence.

Here is our hope of Jesus being with us and so we reject, as did St Paul, any suggestion of this meal being a symbol or representation of Christ with us.

This IS my body – this IS my blood.

As we partake in the bread and the cup, we are not only receiving the presence of Jesus but also embracing the unity it creates among us as believers. One bread, one cup, one body.

We are all called to the table, no matter our past, our struggles, or our brokenness. At this table, we find grace, forgiveness, and the call to reconciliation. As we share in this meal we receive Jesus love in the fullest and are now commanded to extend that love to others. Love one another as I have loved you.

This is not a suggestion but as Jesus says – a New Commandment I give unto you. The Washing of the Disciples' Feet: An Example of Humble Service After sharing this meal, Jesus rises from the table, taking off His outer garment, and wearing the towel of a servant. He kneels before His disciples and washes their feet—an act of humility that defies the social norms of His time. 

Peter, just as he could not accept Jesus’ prophesy of his death – never Lord, this will never happen to you – cannot accept Jesus humility – You will NEVER wash my feet. This powerful act is not just an example of servanthood; it is a redefining of what it means to lead and to love. As Paul says in Philippians – Jesus came not to be served but to serve others.

Jesus tells His disciples, “If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet” (John 13:14). In this act, He shows us that true greatness lies not in power or privilege but in service and sacrificial love. 

Again, as Paul says in Philippians, through his humility Jesus was given the name that is above all names.

As we reflect on this example of love and servanthood, let us ask ourselves: How are we called to serve one another? Whom are we called to humble ourselves before? Our world is in desperate need of this radical love. In a time when division and strife often dominate not just society but also our church, Jesus invites us to be agents of peace and reconciliation. He asks us to go beyond mere words and to act in love. 

We are called to wash each other’s feet, to lift each other up, and to demonstrate God’s love through acts of service. A New Commandment: Love One Another

And so tonight, we hear the call to a new commandment—“Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another” (John 13:34). This goes above Jesus previous great commandment to love our neighbour as ourselves but to love one another as Jesus loves us. And no greater love is seen that one lay down his life for others.

This command is not merely an invitation; it is a mandate that transforms our lives and our communities. That’s where the word “Maundy” comes from – to mandate – to command. Sadly Maundy Thursday is often thought be called Mourn Day Thursday. Yes we mourn Jesus death but here we are responding to his New Command – to love one another as Jesus loves us.

In a world that often is  unforgiving, we are reminded that love is our greatest weapon. It is love that binds us together, love that forgives the unforgivable, and love that seeks the welfare of others. This love compels us to action—it challenges us to care for the marginalized, to provide for those in need, and to embrace the stranger.

As we prepare to enter into the sadness of Good Friday, let us carry this message of love and service in our hearts. Maundy Thursday invites us not to remain passive observers but to live out the effects of our faith in our daily lives. Together, let us respond to the call of Christ—to love one another deeply, to serve humbly, and to share the grace we have received. May tonight’s sacred meal and Jesus’ example of foot-washing send us into a world that needs the light of Jesus love.