Maundy Thursday
Holy Triduum - Part 1
Maundy Thursday, or Holy Thursday, is the beginning of the Holy Triduum (meaning three days) in the Catholic faith. These are the highest and holiest days of the year. They commemorate and participate in the institution of the New Covenant, the sacrifice of Calvary and the Resurrection of Christ on Easter. The word maundy comes from the French word mande, which itself comes from the Latin word mandatum. This word means “mandate” or “command”. The reason it is called this is because during the Last Supper, Christ gives a new command:
John 13:34 I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.
This command is to all His disciples. It is not optional, it’s a command from God Himself. So if you want to remain His disciple and have hope in Christ saving you, you must obey His command given here.
Maundy Thursday is also a VERY busy day in the events of Scripture. All four of the Gospels cover it, and the Gospel of John devotes over three chapters to it. (The Gospel of John only has 21 chapters in it, to give some perspective on how important this day was.) This post will give a Scriptural timeline of the events, with some commentary interspersed to help give some context.
To set the stage, the night before Holy Thursday, Jesus was having dinner with friends and disciples in the town of Bethany, which is about a half hour walk from Jerusalem. It was during this dinner where Jesus was anointed with ointment (the word Christ means anointed one). This was done to prepare His body for burial. Jesus was telling His Apostles what was coming but they still couldn’t believe it was actually going to happen.
Mark 14:3 While He was at Bethany in the house of Simon the leper, as He sat at the table, a woman came with an alabaster jar of very costly ointment of nard, and she broke open the jar and poured the ointment on His head. 4 But some were there who said to one another in anger, “Why was the ointment wasted in this way? 5 For this ointment could have been sold for more than three hundred denarii, and the money given to the poor.” And they scolded her. 6 But Jesus said, “Let her alone; why do you trouble her? She has performed a good service for Me. 7 For you always have the poor with you, and you can show kindness to them whenever you wish; but you will not always have Me. 8 She has done what she could; she has anointed My Body beforehand for its burial. 9 Truly I tell you, wherever the good news is proclaimed in the whole world, what she has done will be told in remembrance of her.”
Notice that in this passage, Christ clearly notes that expensive and costly gifts given with a pure heart to God are pleasing to Him. We should always be giving to God our best and giving our first fruits. God should not be relegated to what is left over. Remember this passage the next time someone complains to you about Catholic churches and cathedrals being too expensive or ostentatious. God deserves our best and His house should not be in a strip mall or look like an airport hangar while our own homes are beautiful, decorated and adorned.
Now that Christ is anointed and prepared for His Passion, the betrayer Judas Iscariot goes to find a way to betray Jesus. This is why Wednesday in Holy Week is called Spy Wednesday, because it is the day that Jesus was betrayed. (This is also why Wednesdays during the year were commonly days of fasting and penance in prior ages of the Church.)
Luke 22:1 Now the festival of Unleavened Bread, which is called the Passover, was near. 2 The chief priests and the scribes were looking for a way to put Jesus to death, for they were afraid of the people.
3 Then Satan entered into Judas called Iscariot, who was one of the Twelve; 4 he went away and conferred with the chief priests and officers of the temple police about how he might betray Him to them. 5 They were greatly pleased and agreed to give him money. 6 So he consented and began to look for an opportunity to betray Him to them when no crowd was present.
Matthew 26:14 Then one of the Twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests 15 and said, “What will you give me if I betray him to you?” They paid him thirty pieces of silver. 16 And from that moment he began to look for an opportunity to betray Him.
For what price will you betray Christ? While yours might not be 30 pieces of silver, or even money, there IS a price you have accepted to betray Christ. Every time you sin, it is a betrayal of Christ. You are putting your will above the will of God, and accepting some payment in exchange for rejecting Christ. That payment might be pleasure, or it might be revenge, or it might be money/power/prestige/etc.
Be honest with yourself and be honest about what you payment you have accepted when you have betrayed Jesus. When you do that, you will be better able to resist that payment the next time it is offered to you.
Holy Thursday has now arrived, and that evening is when the Passover is being celebrated, and the Apostles wondered where Jesus would like to celebrate this Passover.
Mark 14:12 On the first day of Unleavened Bread, when the Passover lamb is sacrificed, His disciples said to Him, “Where do you want us to go and make the preparations for You to eat the Passover?” 13 So He sent two of His disciples, saying to them, “Go into the city, and a man carrying a jar of water will meet you; follow him, 14 and wherever he enters, say to the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher asks, Where is My guest room where I may eat the Passover with My disciples?’ 15 He will show you a large room upstairs, furnished and ready. Make preparations for us there.” 16 So the disciples set out and went to the city, and found everything as He had told them; and they prepared the Passover meal.
It’s not an accident that Mark mentions that this day was the day when the Passover lambs are sacrificed. He explicitly is telling us the connection between the Last Supper, Passover, Calvary, the New Covenant and the Mass. Jesus is the Paschal Lamb, the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. His sacrifice on Calvary and the Last Supper are the New Covenant which we participate in at Mass. The Gospel of Luke makes the same point.
Luke 22:7 Then came the day of Unleavened Bread, on which the Passover lamb had to be sacrificed. 8 So Jesus sent Peter and John, saying, “Go and prepare the Passover meal for us that we may eat it.” 9 They asked Him, “Where do you want us to make preparations for it?” 10 “Listen,” He said to them, “when you have entered the city, a man carrying a jar of water will meet you; follow him into the house he enters 11 and say to the owner of the house, ‘The Teacher asks you, “Where is the guest room, where I may eat the Passover with My disciples?”’ 12 He will show you a large room upstairs, already furnished. Make preparations for us there.” 13 So they went and found everything as He had told them; and they prepared the Passover meal.
Now the Last Supper has begun. The three Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark & Luke) go directly to the institution of the Eucharist and the betrayal of Judas. But the Gospel of John gives us much more information about the other events that happened during the Last Supper. It begins with Jesus washing the feet of the Apostles (even the one who would betray Him). He shows a level of humility that humans are simply unable to comprehend fully. God Himself joins His Divinity with humanity, and now here He is and He washes the FEET of His Apostles. Remember that this was an agrarian society, with no paved streets and animals everywhere. Feet were extremely dirty at this time, with dirt, dust and animal byproduct covering them. Yet God shows His infinite humility to lower Himself down to a level below His own creation to wash the feet of His disciples (even being willing to wash the feet of the one who was soon to betray Him).
John 13:1 Now before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that His hour had come to depart from this world and go to the Father. Having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them to the end. 2 The devil had already put it into the heart of Judas son of Simon Iscariot to betray Him. And during supper 3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His hands, and that He had come from God and was going to God, 4 got up from the table, took off His outer robe, and tied a towel around Himself. 5 Then He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was tied around Him. 6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to Him, “Lord, are You going to wash my feet?” 7 Jesus answered, “You do not know now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” 8 Peter said to Him, “You will never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no share with Me.” 9 Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” 10 Jesus said to Him, “One who has bathed does not need to wash, except for the feet, but is entirely clean. And you are clean, though not all of you.” 11 For He knew who was to betray Him; for this reason He said, “Not all of you are clean.”
Note here something important. Right before Christ is going to institute the Eucharist and create the New Covenant, He prepares His Apostles so that they are pure and undefiled before they receive His Body and Blood. In the same way, we must prepare ourselves before receiving Communion. We must go to Confession regularly so that Christ may wash us and make us ready to receive His Body and Blood. If Christ does not wash you, you have no share in Him!
John 13:12 After He had washed their feet, had put on His robe, and had returned to the table, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? 13 You call me Teacher and Lord—and you are right, for that is what I am. 14 So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you. 16 Very truly, I tell you, servants are not greater than their master, nor are messengers greater than the one who sent them. 17 If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them. 18 I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But it is to fulfill the scripture, ‘The one who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.’ 19 I tell you this now, before it occurs, so that when it does occur, you may believe that I am He. 20 Very truly, I tell you, whoever receives one whom I send receives Me; and whoever receives Me receives Him who sent Me.”
Jesus here is quoting from Psalm 41. Reading the whole Psalm helps to give more context to what Jesus is showing is now occurring that was prophesied from long ago.
Psalm 41:1 Blessed are those who have regard for the weak; the Lord delivers them in times of trouble. 2 The Lord protects and preserves them—they are counted among the blessed in the land—He does not give them over to the desire of their foes. 3 The Lord sustains them on their sickbed and restores them from their bed of illness. 4 I said, “Have mercy on me, Lord; heal me, for I have sinned against You.” 5 My enemies say of me in malice, “When will he die and his name perish?” 6 When one of them comes to see me, he speaks falsely, while his heart gathers slander; then he goes out and spreads it around. 7 All my enemies whisper together against me; they imagine the worst for me, saying, 8 “A vile disease has afflicted him; he will never get up from the place where he lies.” 9 Even my close friend, someone I trusted, one who shared my bread, has turned against me. 10 But may You have mercy on me, Lord; raise me up, that I may repay them. 11 I know that You are pleased with me, for my enemy does not triumph over me. 12 Because of my integrity You uphold me and set me in Your Presence forever. 13 Praise be to the Lord, the God of Israel, from everlasting to everlasting. Amen and Amen.
Very similar to the washing of the feet and humility, the Gospel of Luke records a teaching during the Last Supper about greatness.
Luke 22:24 A dispute also arose among them as to which one of them was to be regarded as the greatest. 25 But He said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those in authority over them are called benefactors. 26 But not so with you; rather the greatest among you must become like the youngest, and the leader like one who serves. 27 For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.
28 “You are those who have stood by Me in My trials; 29 and I confer on you, just as My Father has conferred on Me, a kingdom, 30 so that you may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
God will raise up the humble and will humble the proud. After this, Jesus then enacts the Passover meal, but fulfills and transforms it into the Eucharist. Jesus is performing the ritual of the Old Covenant in fulfillment of that Covenant, but at the same time is instituting the New Covenant. So instead of a lamb that is slaughtered, we will have the Lamb of God who will be slaughtered to reconcile mankind with God. The Last Supper IS the Mass. The Last Supper & Calvary are one liturgical act by Christ. The Holy Triduum is one long liturgy across three days, not three separate liturgies. The Cross and the Last Supper are one single event.
Luke 22:14 When the hour came, He took His place at the table, and the Apostles with Him. 15 He said to them, “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer; 16 for I tell you, I will not eat it until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God.” 17 Then He took a cup, and after giving thanks He said, “Take this and divide it among yourselves; 18 for I tell you that from now on I will not drink of the fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes.” 19 Then He took a loaf of bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, “This is My body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of Me.” 20 And He did the same with the cup after supper, saying, “This cup that is poured out for you is the New Covenant in My Blood. 21 But see, the one who betrays Me is with Me, and his hand is on the table. 22 For the Son of Man is going as it has been determined, but woe to that one by whom He is betrayed!” 23 Then they began to ask one another which one of them it could be who would do this.
I would highly encourage everyone to listen to The Fourth Cup by Dr. Scott Hahn. It goes into much more detail on the Last Supper and the cups of wine and how they connect to the Cross and Calvary.
John 13:21 After saying this Jesus was troubled in spirit, and declared, “Very truly, I tell you, one of you will betray Me.” 22 The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom He was speaking. 23 One of His disciples—the one whom Jesus loved—was reclining next to Him; 24 Simon Peter therefore motioned to him to ask Jesus of whom He was speaking. 25 So while reclining next to Jesus, he asked Him, “Lord, who is it?” 26 Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.” So when He had dipped the piece of bread, He gave it to Judas son of Simon Iscariot. 27 After he received the piece of bread, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “Do quickly what you are going to do.” 28 Now no one at the table knew why He said this to him. 29 Some thought that, because Judas had the common purse, Jesus was telling him, “Buy what we need for the festival”; or, that he should give something to the poor. 30 So, after receiving the piece of bread, he immediately went out. And it was night.
Notice here that Jesus gives Judas absolutely every opportunity to change his mind and not betray Our Lord. Jesus humbles Himself and washes Judas’ feet. Jesus gives Judas His own actual Body and Blood in the Eucharist (notice that Jesus dipped the Host into the Chalice, i.e. intinction). Jesus withholds nothing from Judas. Yet Judas still chooses satan instead of Christ. Judas goes out to betray Our Lord. Notice at this point, the Gospel of John says that it was now night. The darkness of the betrayal is spreading now.
At this point, Jesus now gives the new command/mandate which is where we get the name Maundy Thursday.
John 13:31 When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in Him. 32 If God has been glorified in Him, God will also glorify Him in Himself and will glorify Him at once. 33 Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for Me; and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’ 34 I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another.”
As mentioned before, loving your neighbor through charity and humility is a command. It’s not optional and it’s a required part of the New Covenant Christ has offered to us. There is no negotiation about this. Your only choice is whether you will accept the New Covenant and its requirements of you, or you reject it. Choose wisely.
From here, the Gospel of John gives us a wealth of teachings that Jesus gave at the Last Supper; almost three full chapters of teachings. They include the Parable of the True Vine, the promise of the Holy Ghost to be sent to them, Jesus as the only way to the Father, the work of the Holy Ghost, the immediate sorrow they will experience soon turning to joy, the peace of Christ that He gives to them, and His final prayer for His Apostles. They are well worth your time to read and meditate on them today.
At this point, Jesus ends the Last Supper without drinking the Fourth Cup of the Passover (see the link above to Scott Hahn’s talk). This is where see Jesus prophesy the three denials from Peter.
Mark 14:26 When they had sung the hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. 27 And Jesus said to them, “You will all become deserters; for it is written,
‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered.’
28 But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.” 29 Peter said to him, “Even though all become deserters, I will not.” 30 Jesus said to him, “Truly I tell you, this day, this very night, before the cock crows twice, you will deny me three times.” 31 But he said vehemently, “Even though I must die with you, I will not deny you.” And all of them said the same.
Christ specifically prays for Peter individually that once he is restored to grace with God, that he will be strengthened and will strengthen his brothers.
Luke 22:31 “Simon, Simon, listen! Satan has demanded to sift all of you like wheat, 32 but I have prayed for you that your own faith may not fail; and you, when once you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” 33 And he said to Him, “Lord, I am ready to go with You to prison and to death!” 34 Jesus said, “I tell you, Peter, the cock will not crow this day, until you have denied three times that you know Me.”
We must all pray to God for the courage to remain faithful to Him. Temptations and tribulations will come our way and only through the power of God can we resist them. Without Christ, we can do nothing.
Now Christ and the Apostles are at the Mount of Olives in the Garden of Gethsemane, where they had spent several evenings over the past week. This is how Judas knew where to find Jesus and lead the armed guard to arrest Him. At this point, the Agony in the Garden begins.
Matthew 26:36 Then Jesus went with them to a place called Gethsemane; and He said to His disciples, “Sit here while I go over there and pray.” 37 He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to be grieved and agitated. 38 Then He said to them, “I am deeply grieved, even to death; remain here, and stay awake with Me.” 39 And going a little farther, He threw Himself on the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; yet not what I want but what You want.” 40 Then He came to the disciples and found them sleeping; and He said to Peter, “So, could you not stay awake with Me one hour? 41 Stay awake and pray that you may not come into the time of trial; the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 42 Again He went away for the second time and prayed, “My Father, if this cannot pass unless I drink it, Your will be done.” 43 Again He came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. 44 So leaving them again, He went away and prayed for the third time, saying the same words. 45 Then He came to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? See, the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. 46 Get up, let us be going. See, My betrayer is at hand.”
The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. We must always work to strengthen our will and comport it to the will of God, so that we may overcome the temptations of this world.
Notice as well that Jesus prays three times about letting this “cup” pass from Him. This is the Fourth Cup, the wine that He will drink on the Cross to complete the Last Supper/Passover/New Covenant. This is the final cup of wine that must be drunk to complete the Passover meal and enact the New Covenant.
Now the time for the betrayal of Judas is at hand.
Matthew 26:47 While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived; with him was a large crowd with swords and clubs, from the chief priests and the elders of the people. 48 Now the betrayer had given them a sign, saying, “The one I will kiss is the Man; arrest Him.” 49 At once he came up to Jesus and said, “Greetings, Rabbi!” and kissed Him. 50 Jesus said to him, “Friend, do what you are here to do.” Then they came and laid hands on Jesus and arrested Him. 51 Suddenly, one of those with Jesus put his hand on his sword, drew it, and struck the slave of the high priest, cutting off his ear. 52 Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its place; for all who take the sword will perish by the sword. 53 Do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once send Me more than twelve legions of angels? 54 But how then would the scriptures be fulfilled, which say it must happen in this way?” 55 At that hour Jesus said to the crowds, “Have you come out with swords and clubs to arrest Me as though I were a bandit? Day after day I sat in the Temple teaching, and you did not arrest Me. 56 But all this has taken place, so that the scriptures of the prophets may be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples deserted him and fled.
Jesus Christ is betrayed with a kiss. How often have we done the same. Any time that we sin, we do the same. We are infused with the grace of God in our souls and yet we still choose to willfully reject Him and follow our own wishes and desires instead of His will.
The Gospel of John gives some more details about the betrayal and arrest of Christ.
John 18:1 After Jesus had spoken these words, He went out with His disciples across the Kidron valley to a place where there was a garden, which He and His disciples entered. 2 Now Judas, who betrayed Him, also knew the place, because Jesus often met there with His disciples. 3 So Judas brought a detachment of soldiers together with police from the chief priests and the Pharisees, and they came there with lanterns and torches and weapons. 4 Then Jesus, knowing all that was to happen to Him, came forward and asked them, “Whom are you looking for?” 5 They answered, “Jesus of Nazareth.” Jesus replied, “I am He.” Judas, who betrayed Him, was standing with them. 6 When Jesus said to them, “I am He,” they stepped back and fell to the ground. 7 Again He asked them, “Whom are you looking for?” And they said, “Jesus of Nazareth.” 8 Jesus answered, “I told you that I am He. So if you are looking for Me, let these men go.” 9 This was to fulfill the word that He had spoken, “I did not lose a single one of those whom You gave Me.” 10 Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it, struck the high priest’s slave, and cut off his right ear. The slave’s name was Malchus. 11 Jesus said to Peter, “Put your sword back into its sheath. Am I not to drink the cup that the Father has given me?”
Notice a couple of things here. First is the Jesus when responding to the questions, responds with “I AM”. He openly uses the Name of God when responding to them. (The translation here is not a great one in these verses. It loses some of the potency of what Christ actually said.) This is why the Temple guard Jews stepped back and fell to the ground. They were astonished that Jesus responded in that way.
Second, notice yet again that Jesus refers to the cup that He must drink. I really encourage you to listen to that talk given by Dr. Scott Hahn about the Fourth Cup.
Here is where we will stop this particular post, and save the trial for the Good Friday post which will be arriving tomorrow. God bless you all and have a very blessed Maundy Thursday!