“Love isn’t someplace that we fall. It’s something that we do.”
~Clint Black
Modern people talk about being “in” love more than “doing love”—love as a feeling rather than an action. When love requires we forgo our desires or dreams, it’s almost viewed as unjust. The message of Maundy Thursday turns our thinking upside down.
Maundy Thursday in the Christian calendar is the Thursday of Holy Week which recalls three things: Jesus’ washing his disciples feet, the institution of the Lord’s Supper (communion), and, most importantly, Jesus giving his followers the new commandment to love one another. (“Maundy” comes from the Latin phrase, “mandatum novum,” meaning “new commandment.”)
In washing his disciples feet (in the top 10 of the ancient worlds “dirtiest jobs”), Jesus teaches the service of love. Jesus teaches us not only the heights to which love will go, but the depths. The great descent of love. In the story Les Miserables, the main character Jean Valjean, is loved in a low place. Newly released from prison, he seeks a job, food and shelter but can find none, that is, until a priest takes him in. Later,Valjean, in efforts to save the life of his future son-in-law must carry him through the sewer systems of Paris (love in a very low place). Yet, the Son of God went further. He leaves his heavenly throne of glory descending to earth; he gives up a “nice” life, to heal the sick, feed the poor, become homeless and preach and teach the lost; he acts as the lowest servant in Roman society by washing the feet of his followers; yet, most astonishingly, though he is sinless, he becomes sin “for us”–bearing the guilt, shame and rightful judgment of any who trust in him. This is what the Apostle Paul writes in Phil. 2:Christ Jesus, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
Which leads to a second lesson of Maundy Thursday: Jesus teaches the fellowship of love (intimate companionship). The meal which Jesus institutes is an object lesson of his suffering and sacrifice. The bread and wine representing the giving of his life (body and blood) for us. But the symbolism of the the Lord’s Supper shouldn’t eclipse the fact that the ritual is in fact, a meal. Meals can be the most intimate of times with our family, friends, and lovers. It’s sort of mysterious isn’t it? As we share food and sit across from one another, make eye contact, listen, laugh, maybe cry—we feel bonded in a most intimate and memorable way. Perhaps before the meal we felt distracted and disconnected, maybe even at odds with the person at our table, but by the end we are close friends! Here again, there’s a parallel. Sin separates us from God and the communion meal teaches us what God did to reunite us to himself. As we eat the bread and wine which represents the Son of God’s sacrifice for my sin, we are fed and nourished with the understanding that God gave himself that I might be in his intimate presence—God wants me at his Table.
But, let’s not forget the main point of all of it—the new commandment to love. The Apostle John recalls Jesus saying during that evening, “By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another”. The Maundy lessons of the service of love and the fellowship of love should show themselves in love for others. Perhaps it’s a hidden act of kindness at the work (I clean out that nasty office refrigerator); a family meal where the goal isn’t to ‘just get through dinner” but lingering a few extra minutes to ask my spouse or kids more of their day; or roommates having a widow, single mom or family with young kids over to their table. I don’t offer these examples as “what if’s”, because praise God I hear of them in our community often!
As we meditate on Jesus’ unceasing love for us, let’s strive for everyday of the week to be Maundy Thursday.