Maundy Thursday always strikes me as a very medieval time of year, full of foreboding. The very name sounds mournful. Maundy comes from the Latin mandatum (a command) and is thought to derive from Jesus’ command: “mandatum novum do vobis” (a new commandment I give unto you). It is associated with Jesus’ washing of the feet of his disciples and the traditional Maundy Thursday service harks back to this, with a symbolic washing of feet being part of the service.
For most, though, the real drama of the service is the stripping of the altar after communion, as we prepare for the darkness of the days ahead. At the start of the service, the altar is adorned in gold or white, representing hope.
After communion, the congregation sit in silence while the altar is stripped bare. This part of the service is called the Tenebrae (darkness). Nine lessons are read, telling the story of the Last Supper, the evening spent in the Garden of Gethsemane, Judas’s betrayal of Jesus, the trial and crucifixion. The last lesson is Psalm 22, beginning with the terrible words, ‘My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?’ which Jesus quoted as he hung on the cross.
At the end of the final lesson, the congregation leave in silence, going out into darkness – in tenebras – and we wait for the horrors of Good Friday to be past and the wonder of Easter Morning.
Despite the solemnity of the service, Shalfleet rose to the occasion with its usual combination of quirkiness and style. Ella was joined by her daughters and the dog! Shirley was back, looking well and rested, and we welcomed our friends from Thorley.
Many thanks to Val for organising the service, and for her continuing care for us all.