When I heard we were having a Maundy Thursday service instead of Good Friday, I wanted to know more about what Maundy Thursday meant. It doesn’t carry the celebration of Easter morning or even the deep sorrow of Good Friday. Instead, it represents a moment where love was demonstrated in the simplest, most profound way.
The word “Maundy” comes from the Latin mandatum, meaning “command.” It points us to the words Jesus spoke to His disciples: “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” (John 13:34)
And then, He showed them what that love looks like. He knelt down. He picked up a towel.
He washed their feet.
Not just the feet of the faithful, but the feet of the doubting, the denying, and even the betraying. In that moment, Jesus redefined greatness. It wasn’t about position or power, it was about humility, service, and choosing love even when it’s hard.
Loving like Jesus did doesn’t require washing someone’s feet. It looks like patience when you’re tired. Kindness when it’s undeserved. Showing up when it would be easier to walk away. It’s choosing grace in small, everyday moments that no one else may even notice.
Maundy Thursday reminds us that love isn’t just something we say, it’s something we do.
And here’s the fabulous part: Jesus didn’t ask us to love others in our own strength. He said, “As I have loved you…” That means we love from what we’ve already received. We serve because we’ve been served. We extend grace because grace has been poured over us again and again.
So tomorrow, pause and picture the towel in His hands. The quiet room. The Savior kneeling. And ask yourself: Where can I love like that today?
It may not look dramatic. It may not feel significant. But in the Kingdom of God, those small acts of love carry eternal weight. Because Maundy Thursday isn’t just something we remember. It’s something we live.
Shine, Shine, Shine!
Tina