Maundy Thursday Thoughts

 

Maundy Thursday Eastminster 3/28/24- Sanctuary
Ex.  12:21-27;  John 13:1-17, 31b-35  Rev. Dr. Ben Sloan

The word “Maundy” in Maundy Thursday has some mystery to it.  We are not absolutely sure what it means.  I can remember one of my kids a long time ago asking, "Daddy are we going to church on Monday Thursday?"  Some speak of Maundy money- as a way to give alms or gifts to the poor;  Some say it has to do with anointing with oil.  Some say it has to do with washing the feet.  But most think the word comes from the French Mande- and the Latin Mandatum- meaning the mandate or command to love one another.
Tertullian recorded the washing of feet in the 2^nd century;  But Maundy Thursday services go back to at least 1250 AD- about 800 years ago.  Of course on this day, Jesus celebrated the Passover- the Last Supper- with his disciples.  He washed their feet.  They went out to the Garden where Jesus prayed so hard he dripped blood as He said, “Not my will but yours be done.”  He was betrayed by a kiss and arrested and taken to Caiaphas’s house.
      [Read Scripture]

A sacrament is a visible sign of God’s invisible grace.  It is something that you can see that reminds you of something bigger that you cannot see.  Much like this ring on my finger is a visible sign of my invisible relationship and love for my wife.  Everytime I look at this ring, I think of my promises and my covenant of love with her. 
The Roman Catholics thus had seven sacraments:  1) Baptism, 2) Eucharist (or Lord’s Supper), 3) Confirmation, 4) Penance/Reconciliation, 5) Anointing of the sick/Last rites, 6) Marriage, 7) Ordination  These are all means of grace- that is tools to enhance the Christian life and help us to grow.  But some of them are not for everyone- marriage is not for everyone- Jesus did not get married.  Ordination is not for everyone.  Luther said there were only two of these that were biblical.  There were only two of these that all people were commanded to do- 1) Baptism- Jesus said go and baptize;  and 2) Communion/Lord’s Supper- where He said, “Do this in remembrance of me.”  Baptism has an Old Testament equivalent in circumcision.  Both are initiation rites of cleansing.  Communion has an Old Testament equivalent in the Passover.  Both of these were to be done remember salvific acts- the exodus’ salvation from slavery and the Lord’s deliverance from our sins on the cross. 
      But I want to say using Luther’s standard, there is a third sacrament.  It is not found in the Old Testament as a sacrament- but it is a new commandment an ordinance.  This new commandment is not as clear.  But Jesus says it clearly, “A new commandment I give you that you love one another.  As I have loved you- so also you should love one another.  By this shall all the world know that you are my disciples- by your love for one another.”  Love is the new commandment- the new sacrament.  What is the visible sign of this sacrament.  Here he says, “You call me Master and Lord for that is what I am.  Now that I your master and Lord have washed your feet, so you should also wash one another’s feet.”  The visible sign of the new commandment- the new sacrament is foot-washing.  But it is not just washing feet, that would be too simple and constrictive.  His emphasis was on the Master doing the work of a servant.  In other words- visible service is a sacrament of God.  The standards of Luther and Calvin are met here- it is biblical- and it is commanded to all the followers of Christ- love one another by washing one another’s feet.  Or to translate it once again- love one another by visibly serving one another.  
       In the Reformed faith- Zwingli said that baptism and communion were just ordinances.  Just commandments- nothing special happens with them.  But the word “sacrament” means mystery.  It is in experiencing these visible ordinances that we experience the invisible presence and grace of Christ.  Calvin emphasized that when we are baptized and take the supper the Holy Spirit was especially tied or present in these things.  Sacraments are more than just something we’re supposed to do.  We have experienced God working through them.  So many people talk about their baptism or their baby’s baptism as a way that God really drew them to Himself.  It is a milemarker for them- a memory place holder- kind of like an event monument that helps them to remember.  Similarly the Lord’s Supper is a moving experience in which we remember Jesus giving Himself for us on the cross.  But service to others (especially when God gets the glory) is also a placeholder for when God drew close to us.  A sacrament is special- and I would say that service out of love for Christ is a sacrament. 
     So I want to say that when we serve other people in Christ’s name- His love, His Holy Spirit is especially present.  When you feed the hungry- it is a heart warming experience.  When you read a book to a child (like at Bradley) who has no one else to read to him or her- it is a heart warming experience- not just something good to do- but a spiritual experience.  When you do Salkahatchie or Habitat or Homeworks- and you know by hammering nails or patching holes you are helping someone else- it is not just a good thing= but a spiritual thing. 
       The Mennonites are often talking about a third way.  The Mennonites are known for their service- coming in when there is a disaster to help rebuild.  The third way- as Walter Wink speaks of it is that when someone slaps you on one cheek- you don’t 1) slap them back, or 2) run away, but 3) turn the other cheek.  When someone asks you to carry their load one mile- you don’t 1) throw their load in their face, or 2) begrudgingly carry it one mile but you 3) carry the load an extra mile.  The third way is not just rebelling against injustice as some would put it, but it is the way of love- the way of service.  It is not the way of comfort or pride or consumerism.  But it is the way of humility, gentleness.  Faith alone brings us into relationship with God, but James says this, “What good is it if you have faith but no deeds?  Suppose a brother or sister is without clothes and daily food . If one of you says to him, “Go I wish you well, keep warm and well fed, but does nothing about his physical needs, what good is it?”  You could say that once you have experience the love of God by faith, you can’t help but want to get outside of yourself and serve others. 
      We are familiar with St. Francis prayer- “Lord make me an instrument of your peace- where there is hatred let me sow love, where there is injury pardon…”  But the story of St. Francis has to do with his encountering Jesus through service- I think this third sacrament.  As a young strong, handsome man, Francis of Assisi hated and was scared of lepers.  There were two leper hospitals near Assisi.  One day a leper asked him for alms.  Francis passed by him thinking he was too good to help him. But then he felt God was telling him to turn around and help the leper.  He turned his horse around, went up to the leper, game him money and then he kissed him on his wound.  Then Francis got back on his horse.  He turned back around to say goodbye and the leper had vanished.  Francis believed that the leper was Jesus in disguise.  It was a holy, changing moment for him- and really the order of the Franciscans began with this act of service or love.  It wasn’t washing feet, but kissing a leper is similar in sentiment.  Washing the feet of the homeless at Central Christ church on Tuesdays, feeding the hungry at Washington Street Soup Kitchen, or Transitions, or Habitat build, or volunteering at Cooperative Ministries are all ways of washing feet, of this third way- the third sacrament of service.  Jesus said, “When you have done it to the least of these you have done it to me.”  The Bible says, “When you welcome strangers, you may welcome angels unawares.” 
     We have a new mandate- that makes this Holy Thursday “Maundy Thursday.”  It is to show love in service to others.  Amen. 

 

 

 

JOHN 13:1It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.

2The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. 3Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; 4so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

6He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”

7Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”

8“No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.”

Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”

9“Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”

10Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” 11For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.

12When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. 13“You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. 15I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.