Greetings Reader!
Canon Scott will lead us at 6 pm tonight as we come together to remember the night Jesus gave us everything.
On the night before his death, Jesus gathered his disciples for the Passover meal, but what he established that night forever changed how we encounter, remember, and love one another.
Reflection on the Readings for Maundy Thursday 2026
Old Testament – Exodus 12:1–4, 11–14 God commands Israel to remember the Passover forever: the meal eaten in haste, the blood of the lamb on the doorposts, the angel of death passing over. On this night, Jesus becomes the Lamb whose blood seals the new covenant. The meal he gives us is a lasting ordinance: “Do this in remembrance of me.”
Psalm 116:1–2, 12–19 The psalmist, rescued from death, asks: how should I repay the Lord? The answer is gratitude—raising the cup of salvation, calling on God’s name before the community. These Eucharistic themes fill the psalm: the cup, the sacrifice of thanks, and the declaration of the Lord’s name. Jesus himself may have sung these exact words at the Last Supper.
Epistle – 1 Corinthians 11:23–26 Paul provides the earliest written account of the institution of the Eucharist. Notice the setting: “on the night when he was betrayed.” The Eucharist is born in darkness and treachery—given precisely when everything seems to fall apart. Every time we celebrate it, we proclaim his death until he comes.
Gospel – John 13:1–17, 31b–35 John does not present an institutional narrative. Instead, the Son of God kneels and washes his disciples’ feet—the duty of the lowest servant. This act symbolizes cleansing, belonging, and love. Then comes the command that defines this day: “Love one another as I have loved you”—a love demonstrated through humble service and unwavering commitment.
Maundy Thursday offers three essential gifts: the Eucharist, the basin and towel, and the new commandment. The one who feeds us is the one who kneels before us. The love he commands is the love he himself shows—completely, humbly, at great cost.
Read the full readings and reflections
