MONDAY, MAY 20, 2024
Anish Esteves
Maundy Thursday is an important event in the liturgical calendar of the Church, believed to be the day when Jesus celebrated his final Passover along with his disciples. Most importantly, that Passover meal was when Jesus washed the feet of his disciples in an extraordinary display of humility and kindness.The Last Supper is derived from Jesus’ Jewish heritage and his observance of a Jewish holiday. The Last Supper was a ‘Passover Seder’, the feast of the unleavened bread. The word ‘Maundy” is derived from the Latin word ‘Mandatum’, which means command.
The Last Supper is the traditional Passover meal that Jesus ate along with the Apostles the night before his death. At this supper, according to the Gospel, Jesus blessed the bread and broke it telling the disciples: “Take, eat, this is my body.” He then passed a cup of wine to them, saying: “This is my blood”. Jesus’ words refer to the Crucifixion that he was about to suffer in order to atone for humankind’s sins. He told the Apostles: “Do this in remembrance of me.”
The action of Jesus at the last supper is the basis for the Christian sacrament of Holy Communion, or the Eucharist which the faithful partake of bread and wine. The Last Supper is the subject of a famous fresco by the famous Italian Painter Leonardo da Vinci, which depicts Jesus and his disciples seated along one side of a long table. Executed in the 1490’s, it is probably the best known representation of the Last Supper. In Goa, most of the Catholic houses have a painting of the Last Supper, hung mostly in the
dining room.
Holy Thursday is also the first day of the Easter Triduum and Catholics commemorate the institution of three pillars of the Catholic Faith: the Sacrament of Holy Communion, the priesthood and the Mass.Maundy Thursday marks the Last Supper of Jesus together with his 12 apostles before he was condemned to death on a rugged cross. It was here that Jesus displayed his complete humility when he washed the feet of his Apostles. The day also marks the institution of the Eucharistic celebration which has since been carried out by Catholics in Church.
On this day, Catholics attend an evening service in Church to mark this solemn occasion. The service is divided into three parts- the liturgy (readings from the Bible), washing of the feet done by the priest, and the Holy Eucharist.Many churches observe Maundy Thursday with a Communion service and a foot-washing ceremony.
One of the main features of the Maundy Thursday service in the Church is the washing of the feet. Jesus washed the feet of the disciples, an act described in the Gospel of John, chapter 13, as Jesus teaching them to be servants. It's the ultimate act of "servant leadership." Jesus instructed his followers to love and to serve. Catholic churches will have a Mass, with a Eucharistic celebration that includes the washing of feet.
Every year, each parish Church chooses 12 faithful from the congregation to have their feet washed. In doing so, the faithful are once again reminded about the value and the need to stay humble. These traditions help Christians reflect on the sacrifice of Jesus and his commandment for us to love and serve others. While the washing of the feet practice was usually restricted to mostly males, the church in recent times has opened it up for women too.The priest removes his vestment, and ties a white cloth around his waist. He then kneels down before each person, washes the feet with water, wipes them dry and kisses the feet.
Jesus Christ had told his followers as per The Gospel of John, “If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do, just as I have done to you”.
