Holy Week: Maundy Thursday

First Day of the Easter Tridiuum

Today is Maundy Thursday or Holy Thursday. Today, we commemorate Christ's Last Supper and the initiation of the Eucharist. It is the first of the three days known as the "Triduum." Its name of "Maundy" comes from the Latin word Mandatum, meaning "command." 

St. John 13:34

"A new commandment I give unto you." 

On this day our Lord gives us His example of humility by washing His disciples’ feet, the command to love one another, the sacrament of the Holy Orders and His very Self in the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist.  

St. John13:4-5

"He riseth from supper, and layeth aside his garments, and having taken a towel, girded himself. After that, he putteth water into a basin, and began to wash the feet of the disciples, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded."

St. Luke 22:19

"And taking bread, he gave thanks, and brake; and gave to them, saying: This is my body, which is given for you. Do this for a commemoration of me."

St. Paul, 1 Corinthians 11:23-26

"For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, that the Lord Jesus, the same night in which he was betrayed, took bread. And giving thanks, broke, and said: Take ye, and eat: this is my body, which shall be delivered for you: this do for the commemoration of me. In like manner also the chalice, after he had supped, saying: This chalice is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as often as you shall drink, for the commemoration of me. For as often as you shall eat this bread, and drink the chalice, you shall shew the death of the Lord, until he come."

As Roman Catholics, we are faithful to the command of our Lord by serving the Roman Rite of the Mass. We have Traditional Latin Mass because Catholic Church teaches that we must fulfill the command of Jesus: "Do this in memory of me."

Our Lord has done all He could possibly do for us. He has given us the most wonderful gift in the world, His Body, in the Holy Mass. On this most holy night, Jesus asks us to spend our time with Him.

St. Matthew 26:40

"Could you not watch one hour with me?"

It is a tradition to visit the tabernacle or the altar of repose in the church after the Mass on this day as a sort of vigil.  The spirit of the vigil before the Altar of Repose is keeping vigil in the Garden of Gethsemani while Jesus prayed before His arrest.