maundy thursday

Though I love Maundy Thursday during Holy Week, I spaced out this morning while swallowing vitamins and asked Johnny, "What does 'Maundy' mean again?" (this was pre-coffee...) He gave an eloquent answer much like this one from George Grant's blog:

"The term 'Maundy' is a shortened version of the Latin term 'Mandatum' or mandate--a word universally associated in the early church with Christ’s command that His disciples should love one another (John 13:34). Very early on in the first and second centuries there were special services on the Mount of Olives outside Jerusalem during which the Christians would sing Psalms and chant litanies of repentance, hear the teaching of the Word, reconcile with one another, covenant to serve the body, and then receive communion. May we hear and heed the call to this great 'Mandatum' today."

Tonight, we'll attend a Maundy Thursday service at our Church. I love that we observe this day, but only Johnny is allowed to wash my feet. We have an agreement, and really, it's a beautiful thing to wash my husband's feet.

Oh, and Johnny wrote some brilliant thoughts about the Revelation over on his blog. How I married such a smart one, I'll never know.