Maundy is a funny word. We use this word to describe today, the day Jesus instituted the Lord's Supper. We use it is because on this night Jesus told his disciples:
"A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another" John 13:34 (ESV)
The word "commandment" in the Latin version of the New Testament is Mandatum. This word progressed through Old French and Middle English and ended up today as "Maundy." Funny how the conservative nature of the church keeps these vestiges of the past alive.
Let’s think about the actual command Jesus gives on this most holy of nights: “love one another the same way I have loved you.” What a challenge! Jesus expects us to love people with the same sacrificial love with which he loves us.
What would the world look like if we obeyed? There would be far fewer church splits, a lot less divorce, a lot more compassion, a lot more people who would have committed their lives to Christ because we modeled our lives after Jesus.
This is the heart of discipleship: to do what we see Jesus doing. Period. You can go to Bible Studies, and listen to sermons, and read Christian books... you can even go all in and go to seminary and become a pastor or a missionary... you can do all of that and still not get it. One of the reasons this is true is because we have substituted information for formation. We need learning and we need to dig deep into the Scripture, but even more than that, we need to apply what we already know and allow the Holy Spirit to speak to us and form us into the image of Christ. Jesus has everything we need, including the love we need to both find our identity in him and share love freely with others. Love is the only thing in the world that grows when we give it away.
That incredible night in Jerusalem, Jesus washed his disciples feet, broke the bread, poured out the wine and invited them to the greatest adventure anyone could ever experience, the adventure of being like Jesus and loving like Jesus.
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