"Do this in remembrance of me." Luke 22:19
You may or may not be familiar with the significance of Maundy Thursday, or why many Christians will be attending their churches tonight for a worship service. Maundy is a word derived from the latin word, mandatum. It is where we get our word mandatory. It is used by the Church to refer to the command given by Jesus to his followers on the night before Good Friday, the night he met with His disciples for the Passover meal.
What were His commands that night? One of His commands was "to remember". Indeed this is why we celebrate this weekend, in order to remember Christ's death and resurrection. Why is it so important that we remember? This question can be answered in many ways. Let me mention just one way that has struck me. In Luke 22:19 we read that Jesus "took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it." Jesus explains that the broken bread is representative of His body. In this moment Jesus is fully aware of how His body is about to be broken in the coming 24 hours. He will be beaten with rods, scourged with a whip, punched, pierced, and placed on a cross to die. Imagine being aware that this was going to take place to you...and being thankful!! I don't know about you, but thankfulness would not be my first inclination. Jesus stared a painful death in the face, including atoning for sin, and did it with a grateful heart. I don't know what hardships you have been dealing with or what difficulties you see approaching on your horizon. I'm guessing it will not include scourging and crucifixion. Whatever the circumstances of your life, Jesus reminds us to remember Him. Remember His sacrifice for you, and remember to give thanks in every circumstance. This is His will for you this Maundy Thursday.
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