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1st Reading, Ez. 12:1-8, 11-14;
Ps. 116:12-13, 15-16, 17-18;
1 Cor. 11:23-26;
Jn. 13:1-15
Holy Thursday, also known as Maundy Thursday, gets its name from the Latin word “mandatum,” meaning mandate or commandment. It refers to the first words of Jesus in Jn. 13:34 — “Mandatum novum do vobis ut diligatis invicem sicut dilexi vos,” meaning “A new commandment I give you: that you love one another as I loved you.” In 2016, Pope Francis allowed the washing of women’s feet.
Holy Thursday marks the beginning of the Paschal Triduum, the three days that commemorate the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus. It concludes on Easter Sunday evening. During Jesus’ time, a day was counted from sunset to sunset. Therefore, the first day runs from Holy Thursday evening to Good Friday evening. This day encompasses everything: the Last Supper, the institution of the Holy Eucharist—the Body and Blood of Jesus—the Holy Priesthood, the washing of the disciples’ feet, Jesus’ Agony in Gethsemane, his betrayal, arrest, sentencing, Passion, Death, and burial. The second day, from Good Friday evening to Holy Saturday evening, is a day of waiting and prayer with Our Blessed Mother for the Resurrection. Tradition says that on the third day, our Lord rose from the dead at midnight.
At the Last Supper, Jesus took bread and wine and gave them to his disciples as his Body and Blood. This act became central to Christian worship and directly pointed to the Cross. Jesus also washed the feet of his disciples. As their Lord and Teacher, he showed true greatness resides in humble service, not in status or power.
He gave a new commandment—to love one another as he loved them, through his costly self-giving demonstrated on the Cross. Later that night, Jesus went to the Garden of Gethsemane, where he prayed in deep anguish and sorrow, yet submitted himself to the will of the Father, even unto death.
Let us pray:
O God, who has called us to participate in this most sacred Supper, in which your Only Begotten Son, when about to hand himself over to death, entrusted to the Church a sacrifice new for all eternity—the banquet of his love—grant, we pray, that we may draw from such a great mystery the fullness of charity and life. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, forever and ever. Amen!
