Today on Maundy Thursday marks the beginning of the Easter Triduum, aka sacred triduum, paschal triduum. While it is not a day of obligation for Catholics yet if we reflect deeply on this, why must it be designated a day of obligation before we flock to attend mass? Especially on such a special, holy and sacred day as today!
Maundy comes from the Latin word “mandatum,” meaning “commandment” or “mandate,” reflecting Jesus’ words to His disciples after He washed their feet in an extraordinary display of humility and service. He said, “A new commandment I give unto you, That you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another” (John 13:34). It begins in the morning, where during the Chrism Mass our priests renew their priestly promises. This Holy day brings to mind for us both the Institution of the Priesthood as well as the Institution of Holy Eucharist.
How then can we not run to attend this Holy Eucharistic Celebration, where our Eucharistic Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ reveals Himself. The sacred readings begin with the passage from Exodus. It unfolds for us the mystery behind God our Father’s command to the Israelites for Passover. How eventually Jesus, the unblemished lamb of God, would lay down His life for love of us, so that we can pass over from Sin and death to new life and liberty in Him. How He would, for generations to generations to come; nourish us with His divine Body and Blood of new and everlasting life! A new and eternal covenant where Heaven joins earth in great rejoicing at the Heavenly Banquet.
So do not tarry any longer, gather your family and friends and let us go to the Lord’s house! Let us renew our commitment to love one another as He loved us. Amen
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First reading
Exodus 12:1-8,11-14 ·
The Passover is a day of festival for all generations, for ever
The Lord said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt:
‘This month is to be the first of all the others for you, the first month of your year. Speak to the whole community of Israel and say, “On the tenth day of this month each man must take an animal from the flock, one for each family: one animal for each household. If the household is too small to eat the animal, a man must join with his neighbour, the nearest to his house, as the number of persons requires. You must take into account what each can eat in deciding the number for the animal. It must be an animal without blemish, a male one year old; you may take it from either sheep or goats. You must keep it till the fourteenth day of the month when the whole assembly of the community of Israel shall slaughter it between the two evenings. Some of the blood must then be taken and put on the two doorposts and the lintel of the houses where it is eaten. That night, the flesh is to be eaten, roasted over the fire; it must be eaten with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. You shall eat it like this: with a girdle round your waist, sandals on your feet, a staff in your hand. You shall eat it hastily: it is a passover in honour of the Lord. That night, I will go through the land of Egypt and strike down all the first-born in the land of Egypt, man and beast alike, and I shall deal out punishment to all the gods of Egypt. I am the Lord! The blood shall serve to mark the houses that you live in. When I see the blood I will pass over you and you shall escape the destroying plague when I strike the land of Egypt. This day is to be a day of remembrance for you, and you must celebrate it as a feast in the Lord’s honour. For all generations you are to declare it a day of festival, for ever.”’
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Second reading
1 Corinthians 11:23-26 ·
Every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are proclaiming the death of the Lord
This is what I received from the Lord, and in turn passed on to you: that on the same night that he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took some bread, and thanked God for it and broke it, and he said, ‘This is my body, which is for you; do this as a memorial of me.’ In the same way he took the cup after supper, and said, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Whenever you drink it, do this as a memorial of me.’ Until the Lord comes, therefore, every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are proclaiming his death.
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Gospel
John 13:1-15
Now he showed how perfect his love was
It was before the festival of the Passover, and Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to pass from this world to the Father. He had always loved those who were his in the world, but now he showed how perfect his love was.
They were at supper, and the devil had already put it into the mind of Judas Iscariot son of Simon, to betray him. Jesus knew that the Father had put everything into his hands, and that he had come from God and was returning to God, and he got up from table, removed his outer garment and, taking a towel, wrapped it round his waist; he then poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel he was wearing. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, ‘Lord, are you going to wash my feet?’ Jesus answered, ‘At the moment you do not know what I am doing, but later you will understand.’ ‘Never!’ said Peter ‘You shall never wash my feet.’ Jesus replied, ‘If I do not wash you, you can have nothing in common with me.’ ‘Then, Lord,’ said Simon Peter ‘not only my feet, but my hands and my head as well!’ Jesus said, ‘No one who has taken a bath needs washing, he is clean all over. You too are clean, though not all of you are.’ He knew who was going to betray him, that was why he said, ‘though not all of you are.’
When he had washed their feet and put on his clothes again he went back to the table. ‘Do you understand’ he said ‘what I have done to you? You call me Master and Lord, and rightly; so I am. If I, then, the Lord and Master, have washed your feet, you should wash each other’s feet. I have given you an example so that you may copy what I have done to you.’
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