MAUNDY, MAUNDY

365 Days of Thanksliving — Day 123

Bah-da, bah-da-da, da.... Maundy, Maundy. So good to me. Maundy morning, it was all I hoped it would be. Oh, Maundy mornin’, Maundy mornin' couldn't guarantee...

...that Maundy evenin' you would still be here with me….

Maundy, Maundy. The vocals fade.

Some of you might remember Day 15, when I urged you to play a game of “Name That Tune” with me. I was honestly surprised how many of you jumped in and guessed the song based on the title alone. You have to love The Mamas and the Papas and their 1966 hit, “Monday, Monday.” I’ve had that melody on loop today, singing along with Denny Doherty while imagining Mama Cass, John, and Michelle Phillips layering in those iconic harmonies.

Now, clearly, today isn’t Monday. It’s Maundy Thursday.

But on this day of remembrance, I couldn’t help but swap "Monday" for "Maundy," humming along with the foursome as best I could. (Though, in all fairness, I think they’d mostly hear a howling dog.)

The Question: is Maundy Thursday "all we hoped it would be"? It’s a day that overflows with deep meaning. It is the threshold of the Passion, the quiet before the sacrifice on the cross.

Did you know the word MAUNDY actually comes from the Latin word mandatum (meaning "commandment" or "mandate")? It refers to the "new commandment" Jesus gave his disciples at the Last Supper:

"Love one another as I have loved you." (John 13:34)

Now, let’s be frank. It’s probably not fair to The Mamas and the Papas to hijack their lyrics. It’s certainly not fair to our Lord, either. In the song, Denny Doherty was asking if his partner would still be by his side come Monday evening. With Jesus, we never have to ask that. He is the one who stays.

But what if Jesus was the lead vocalist? Imagine the disciples backing him up with those haunting harmonies, and the unknown “you” in the lyrics referred to Judas.

“Maundy evening, you would still be here with me…” Oof. That’s deep. Bruh! (as the kids like to say).

Out of His infinite love for you, me, and all humanity, Jesus never left anyone’s side. He loved us to hell and back, and He continues to do so until the end of time.

But His disciple, Judas? He certainly left. By Thursday evening, he had walked out of the room and turned Jesus in for the price of a slave. Just changing that one word in the song gives it a devastating new meaning.

The Gospel writer John tells us:

“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” (John 3:16–17)

On that fateful Thursday evening, motivated by pure love, Jesus didn’t run when He was accosted, chained, and dragged away. For love, He endured the beating, the mockery, and the humility of being nailed to a tree. He hung there for six hours, taking onto Himself every one of our sins. He did that for love.

“A new commandment I give to you,” Jesus said, “that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

A Prayer for Tonight: Heavenly Father, Thank You for loving us so much that You sent Jesus to take our place on that cross. Thank You that we find our forgiveness in Him. Jesus loved Judas, even when Judas didn’t love Him back. Help us to love those who might betray us, and give us the strength to love them until the end. Amen.