On Thursday, April 6, 2023 at the Prayer Tabernacle Church of God in Christ the Ministerial Alliance of North Amityville and Vicinity will hold its annual “Maundy Thursday Worship Service” at 7 PM.  The service will include the participation of pastors from the Amityville area.  Such a service gives us an ideal opportunity to review the rich tradition of the Maundy Thursday observance.

Maundy Thursday, also known as Holy Thursday or Covenant Thursday, is an important day in the Christian calendar that commemorates the Last Supper of Jesus Christ with his disciples. The word “Maundy” comes from the Latin word “mandatum,” which means commandment, and refers to Jesus’ commandment to his disciples to love one another as he loved them.

The origins of Maundy Thursday can be traced back to the Jewish holiday of Passover, which celebrates the Israelites’ liberation from slavery in Egypt. According to the Gospels, Jesus and his disciples were celebrating Passover together when Jesus instituted the Eucharist, or communion, by breaking bread and sharing wine with his disciples. This event is often referred to as the Last Supper and is the focus of Maundy Thursday celebrations.

In addition to the institution of the Eucharist, Jesus also washed his disciples’ feet as a symbol of humility and service. This act of foot-washing is reenacted in many churches on Maundy Thursday as a reminder of Jesus’ example of love and service.

Maundy Thursday also marks the beginning of the Triduum, the three-day period leading up to Easter Sunday. On this day, many churches hold special services, including the Mass of the Lord’s Supper, during which the Eucharist is celebrated, and the altar is stripped bare to symbolize the abandonment of Jesus by his disciples.

In some traditions, Maundy Thursday is also a day of fasting and abstinence, as Christians prepare themselves for the solemnity of Good Friday and the joy of Easter Sunday.

The exact origins of the name “Maundy” are uncertain, but one theory is that it comes from the practice of monarchs giving alms or gifts, called “Maundy money,” to the poor on this day. The tradition of giving Maundy money dates back to the 13th century in England and continues to this day, with the reigning monarch presenting coins to a select group of elderly men and women at a special service.

Maundy Thursday is a significant day in the Christian calendar that commemorates the Last Supper of Jesus Christ with his disciples. It is a day of reflection and preparation for the solemnity of Good Friday and the joy of Easter Sunday. The name “Maundy” may have originated from the practice of giving alms or gifts, but its true meaning lies in the example of love, humility, and service set by Jesus Christ on this day.