Holy Thursday is the first day of the triddum and my favorite day of the three. Holy Thursday is often associated with the last supper, but so much more happens that night. It really does baffle me how much occurs in just one night.

First Jesus washes the feet of his disciples, teaching them a very important lesson about serving the less fortunate. Even though Jesus is not telling us to go and wash the feet of our brothers and sisters, he is calling us to do service. Jesus humbled himself that night by washing the feet of his disciples, and in this day and age we must do the same. By washing the feet of the disciples, he was calling them to go out and serve their brothers and sisters. Jesus was also trying to show his disciples that they were not too good to be served as well; they must be willing to accept the service of others. None of us were created to do everything on our own, we all need to be in community with others. Before Jesus broke the bread and poured the wine, he addressed his disciples by saying “Truly I tell you, one of you will betray me.”(Mattew26:21) Jesus knew that this was the night that one of his apostles would choose money over him and betray his trust, giving him up to the authority. Often times it seems like Jesus says this to me daily, knowing that some days following his example becomes difficult and exhausting. But I must turn away from temptation and serve God by following Jesus’ example.

The next part of the night was the last supper, what Holy Thursday is mostly known for. The last supper is central to our faith, it is when Jesus gives us his body and his blood. It is the night when he gives us holy communion and teaches us to eat in community with others. At the last supper Jesus says “Take and eat; this is my body.” (Matthew 26:26) Jesus gives us his body and blood to save us, he sacrifices his life in order to save us from original sin. Holy Thursday was the very first meal where Jesus says those words to his disciples. They were taken back by the words, just like most of us are in the 21^st century. What Jesus was saying to the disciples was hard for them to comprehend because Jesus was saying that this was his body and his blood, yet they were sharing the meal with him. Every Sunday at mass, no matter how distracted I am that day, the consecration of the bread and wine strikes my attention because Jesus dying for us was the ultimate sacrifice. What comes next during the last supper is something that we are all guilty of at some point of our lives or even every day, which was the betrayal by Judas. Jesus says: “One who dips bread into the bowl with me. 21 The Son of Man will go just as it is written about him. But woe to that man who betrays the Son of Man! It would be better for him if he had not been born.” Mark 14:20-21.

What happens next is the betrayal of Jesus by Judas, he then goes to get the authorities. After the meal the eleven disciples that are left depart with Jesus to the garden of Gethsemane. Here, Jesus leaves his disciples to go off to pray to his father. In his prayer Jesus says “39 Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.” (Matthew 26:39). Jesus was not trying to bargain with God, but knew that it was God’s will that must be fulfilled not his own. We say that every week at mass when we pray the our father, we say ‘thy will be done.’ We acknowledge that we live our life according to God’s agenda, not ours. Upon returning from prayer, he finds his disciples asleep, he awakes them and reprimands them for not watching guard. I have been guilty of falling asleep on God when he was trying to tell me something, I give into temptation and forgot all about what God is saying to me. The last scene of Holy Thursday is when Judas turns Jesus over to the authorities. When the guards approach Peter slices off the ear of one of the guards. “⁵¹ But Jesus answered, “Stop this!” And he touched the man’s ear and healed him.” (Luke 22:51). Jesus knew what must be done, he did not want to respond with violence. Judas betrays his Lord with a kiss on the cheek. With that kiss, Jesus was summoned by the guards and taken to the high priest. The night ends with Peter denying Jesus three times before the rooster crowed three times. I think many times in this day and age, we find ourselves denying God too because others think that believing in God is unpopular, but we must stand strong in our faith. Holy Thursday is not a day that I can tell you about in 500 words because Holy Thursday is so much more than the meal that Jesus shared with his disciples. I hope this helps you better understand Holy Thursday and more fully enter into prayer this week as we prepare for the death and resurrection of our Lord.