Devotion - Maundy Thursday

The disciplines of Lent are stated in the Ash Wednesday liturgy: Prayer, fasting, giving of alms, acts of service.  As I have heard you speak of your Lenten journey, mention has been made of the first; little of the latter.  We have allowed our following of Jesus to become deeply pietistic and rarely practical.

The "New Commandment" from which Maundy Thursday gets its name is to love one another as Jesus has loved us.  His love surely involved praying for his sisters and brothers, but it also meant attending to their bodily needs.

As we prepare the Maundy Thursday liturgy and its ceremonial foot washing, I wonder if the reason we at times find this service uncomfortable is our failure to embrace the fullness of Jesus' life and thus to completely mimic him.

How have you shown the love of Maundy?  The love of the new commandment to love as we Jesus has loved us?

Today is a day to reflect on such things.  Today is an opportunity to continue your spiritual quest - perhaps making greater room for serving the physical needs of those around you.