This night has it all....almost!!!

     A blessed Holy Week and Maundy Thursday to you all!
I would imagine that most of my brother pastors who blog are probably writing something similar today, but how can we pass up writing about the important events that we celebrate on this day?
     To begin with, Maundy Thursday--which is part of the Triduum [consisting of Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday], is the night when Jesus instituted a "memorial" of His Passion in the Lord's Supper.  "Maundy" comes from the Latin Mandatum--the first word of the phrase "Mandatum novum do vobis ut diligatis invicem sicut dilexi vos" ("A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you")
     On this night also, Jesus washed the feet of His disciples, demonstrating that He "came not to be served, but to serve others," a principle that He wanted to pass on to His disciples.
     On this night Jesus told His disciples that one of them would betray Him.  Later on in the Garden of Gethsemane, Judas would betray Jesus to His accusers with a kiss.  And they would arrest Him.
     On this night while His disciples fell asleep at their watch, Jesus would pray, "with drops of sweat as blood" asking that this cup be taken from Him, but not His will but the Father's will be done.
     On this night, Jesus would tell Peter that Peter would deny Him 3 times.  When he was questioned about his relationship to Jesus, Peter did deny His Lord 3 times, and realized what he had done after the rooster crowed.
 The Lord's Supper,  Love, Serving, Prayer, Betrayal, Arrest, Denial...This night has it all....almost!!!

On Maundy Thursday, when the Divine Service finishes, in preparation for Good Friday, the altar is stripped and the chancel is cleared.  Psalm 22 is chanted while this is being done.