The Passion Week Day 5

When I was a kid I thought they were saying it was Monday Thursday, and I was so confused. 

As I got older I realized it was Maundy Thursday which helped a little because I figured out it wasn’t a new blended day that came once a year for me to keep track of. 

At all ages though, for as long as I can remember and even before I knew the deeper meaning, I got that it was a somber day of remembering.

 Growing up our churches did not shy away from too many services in a week and so we were there for Maundy Thursday where we shared the Communion together in a darkened sanctuary. 

And we reconvened for another somber service on Good Friday. 

My mom wouldn’t let us eat meat on Good Friday and she frowned on any kind of fun or frivolity and I was ok with that. 

I was born with an old soul and heart drawn to quiet and reverent worship. 

Sarah once told me I probably could have been a nun if they would have let me still marry Russ and have our family. 

So true. 

So as I read the passages surrounding the Thursday of Holy Week, I find detailed and much similar information in the four Gospels, although Luke and John add some extra pieces that are intriguing, with John including the most narrative of all. 

There are so many different parts to this whole day and evening and I pray to land on just one that would be a place to ponder together before we head out into whatever Thursday will look like for each of us. 

In all four accounts, when Jesus is taken to the high priest and put on a mock trial with dishonest witnesses and yet still they cannot prove Him guilty…

they finally declare Him to be who He is and when He does not disagree…

they spit in His face…

blindfold Him…

beat Him…

and then taunt Him with jeering for Him to prophecy who just hit Him.

Read that again. 

Slowly.

Picture it. 

Picture the perfect and sinless Son of God who just came fresh from washing the feet of His disciples before they ran off and left Him to be taken to this place of injustice. 

Picture Him with the spit of men dripping down His face and a cloth thrown over His eyes as one by one they slapped Him and beat Him and mocked Him. 

And remember and know and declare.

This is your King. 

This is your God. 

Willing to be humiliated.

Willing to be falsely accused, beaten, mocked and crucified.

For us.

Today on Maundy Thursday 2019, I will be tending those little grands I love with all my heart. 

I have things packed in a bag to help make our time together special. 

Meditative silence and deep pondering of the Scriptures will have to be set aside as I chase bikes and kites, color eggs and put stickers on foam crosses and I will invariably settle some argument and reinforce the rules and try to remind them in little ways of why Easter is such a big deal. 

They won’t get it yet.

They won’t get it all completely understood and neither will I.

I have to remember the little girl who used to think it was Monday Thursday and only grasped bits and pieces but grew to love her Lord to the point that to think of Him being treated so cruelly produces hot tears.

 Every. Single. Time.

I pray they grow each year in their understanding of His love for them. 

I pray we all do <3

Scripture:

• Matthew 26: 17-75
• Mark 14:12-15:72
• Luke 22:7-65
• John 13:1-18:27