I recently watched a video made by a colleague about the special services of Holy Week. In the video, the colleague commented that Maundy that is used to refer to today means command. That is true, and it reflects Jesus’ words to his disciples in John 13:34: “A New command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another.” What struck me about my colleague’s explanation was that she did not use the word “mandate,” an English word for command with similar roots to the name for the Thursday of Holy Week. Mandatum is the Latin term meaning “command” that is used in the Latin translation of the John text. It gives a bit of context for the day and a tool for remembering the name.

A few pieces of trivia about the day we observe today. The first is that not all Christians will recognize today as the Thursday before Easter. The exact date of observation depends on whether it is established on the Julian or the Gregorian calendar. The Gregorian calendar that we use in our part of the Christian Tradition names this week as Holy Week and today as Maundy Thursday. In churches that observe the Julian Calendar, such as Eastern and Russian Orthodox churches, next week is Holy Week and next Thursday, April 13, is Maundy Thursday.

A second piece of trivia is that another name for the day, used in ancient times is Shere Thursday. Shere means “pure” or “guilt free.” That name may have to do with the belief that Jesus was innocent of the charges brought against him in his arrest. It may also refer to the ancient tradition of cleaning the altar on this day. In congregations that observe a more liturgical tradition, the communion table or altar is stripped clear at the end of the Maundy Thursday service and remains bare until Easter Morning. During that time the table is cleaned and prepared for decorations that appear during the Great Vigil of Easter. The tradition of Shere Thursday may also have to do with an ancient tradition of showing penance on this day. Lent is a traditional time for Christians to purify themselves by performing acts of penance. The Roman Catholic church recognized penance in some areas by presenting penitents with a green branch. There is also a tradition of new converts to Christianity preparing to join the church by memorizing a creed and being baptized during the service on the Thursday of Holy Week. Some historians make a connection between Shere Thursday and the process of shearing, as in medieval times it was traditional for men to cut their hair and beards on this day. In those times a tradition developed of monks and priests shaving the top of their heads leaving the hair along the sides to grow long. This practice was called tonsure, and was abandoned by papal order in 1972 a decade after the Second Vatican Council.

I wear my hair and beard quite short these days, but I have no plans to go for a haircut today.

Another piece of trivia about the day is that in Germany the day is often called Gründonnerstag or “Green Thursday.” The association with the color green may have come from the practice of penitents receiving green branches or from a confusion with old German words meaning “green” (grun) and “to weep” (greinen). The English word, “groan” comes from a similar root. At any rate there is a tradition in Germany of eating green vegetables, especially spinach. There may be an ancient connection between the eating of fresh greens and the arrival of spring, though it is a bit early to count on fresh spinach from the garden in the part of the world where we live.

While I don’t plan to trim my hair and beard today, it is likely that I will eat greens as part of my usual diet. I’m pretty big on salads for lunch these days.

The mandate of Maundy Thursday comes from the Gospel of John right after the story of Jesus washing the feet of the disciples. The washing of feet is a tradition in some Christian communions. That tradition is often accompanied by services of baptism as well. In addition to the washing of feet, most Christians also celebrate Holy Communion on Maundy Thursday in remembrance of Jesus’ last supper with the disciples before his arrest.

The Maundy Thursday service is traditionally held in the evening, marking the beginning of what is called the Easter Triduum. A triduum is a space of three days. The Easter Triduum begins with the observance of Maundy Thursday, followed by Good Friday and Holy Saturday and ends with evening prayers on Easter Sunday.

For most contemporary Christians the major mode of observing Maundy Thursday is attending a special communion service. For many of us, the observance of traditional services is part of our Holy Week activities and we have become attached to our traditions. We may be more open to experimentation and deviation from traditions at other times of the year than we are during Holy Week. Because my active career was focused on leading worship during Holy Week, I am at a bit of a loss now that I have different responsibilities. After the disruptions of the Covid-19 Pandemic during the last year before I retired and the changes in my life with my retirement I haven’t yet fallen into a new set of Holy Week practices. I am aware that I miss parts of my old practices, but haven’t yet developed a full set of practices to replace them. As I result, I continue to explore new ways to express my faith and connect with other believers during this time of the year.

Holy Week continues to be a time for exploration of my faith during which I am open to new discoveries and new practices as I continue my faith journey. May you find deep meaning in your practices today.