A Wonderful Maundy Thursday Spectacle

Sometimes people are confused when I talk about Maundy Thursday. Some think I don’t know how to pronounce Monday, and others have no idea what the Maundy part refers to.

First, let’s look at the history of the word and holiday. The word maundy comes from the Latin word mandatum, which means “to command,” but in church lingo, it refers to washing the feet of the poor.

In the church calendar, Maundy Thursday is the day before Good Friday, when the church remembers two events. The first is Jesus celebrating the Passover seder dinner with his disciples, supposedly in an upper room in a restaurant in Jerusalem. Some churches reenact the seder meal, followed by the sacrament of communion, or the sharing of bread and wine.

However, in the Gospel of John, the emphasis is not on the Passover meal but on Jesus washing his disciples’ feet, setting an example for the ministry of servanthood, not dominance. (Too many clergy forget the servanthood part.)

Now, about what happened at that service: I heard about this event from Craig Tyrl, a friend who has been in show business for years and is currently working on his ordination in the United Church of Christ. Eight years ago, he founded the Wayward Artist stage productions, which has the reputation of presenting edgy, provocative shows. Craig is now the administrative pastor at Irvine United Congregational Church.

Annie and I arrived a few minutes early for the evening service. The church was packed, which is unusual for Maundy Thursday. The church was dimly lit. The congregation was very chatty. Then Craig, who wrote and directed this spectacle, came to the pulpit, and the chatter stopped. He gave a brief introduction. Then the choir moved down the side aisles, singing the opening hymn as they proceeded into their seats, accompanied by a pianist and a cellist. Next, down the center aisle came four actors dressed in black, representing Jesus, Peter, Judas, and Mary of Magdala.

The first actor was Jesus, whose dramatic portrayal set the stage for the Last Supper. Then came the words of Peter portraying his loyalty to Jesus, which would lead to his denial. Judas was next as he explained that he wasn’t betraying Jesus but was trying to push him to declare his Messiahship. Then Mary stood and told of her love and devotion to Jesus.

This was followed by Jesus washing Judas’s feet. Jesus then prepared the table for communion as the congregation sang a hymn. The show was mesmerizing. One could hear a pin drop on the carpet flooring as the congregation became totally absorbed in the happenings.

Jesus reminded the people that the table was open for all, no matter where they were in their life’s journey. Next, the congregation came forward to receive communion. When everyone had received communion, the table was cleared, the lights were dimmed, and the actors and choir left the church, accompanied by the music of the piano and cello.

I have never seen a church service that moved so many people!

Annie and I left this wonderful Maundy Thursday spectacle with a new vision of the church of the future being alive and vibrant.

PeaceLoveJoyHopeKindness

Bil

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P.S. People often ask me provocative questions about current events, both religious and secular. I have found that some of these questions are being asked universally. I’ll be periodically alternating regular articles with one of those questions and my answer. I invite you to send me your question to bilaulenbach@yahoo.com.

Photo by Syed Aoun Abbas on Unsplash