i’m an old-fashioned gal, still referring to this day as maundy as opposed to holy…what christians actually agree on is that this is the day that jesus had his last supper, saying the quite shocking words: this is my body, this is my blood.  tradition around these parts generally avoids the whole foot-washing ceremony, thanks to folks being a little shy about exposing their stinky peds.  and there’s the drama of judas leaving the supper to betray jesus for 40 pieces of silver, but that’s a story better left to good friday. 

so after 50-some-odd years of maundy thursdays, i heard a new twist on the word:  most scholars agree that the word is derived from the old french and middle english “mande”, from the latin “mandatum” from the first word of the phrase (in latin) that jesus spoke to the disciples as he washed their feet:  a new commandment i give unto you: that ye love one another as i have loved you. (john 13:34).  that is from both tonight’s sermon and wikipedia….

what it really amounts to, in my humble opinion, is that we celebrate the anniversary of the first communion….by having communion.  people thinking somewhat alike coming together to participate in a long-held tradition that brings us closer…loving one another…

i hope