Hello friends,
I hope that you Tahomies and Auburnites are enjoying your spring break! Kent-ers, you're only one day away...
But all of us can celebrate this week in the Church calendar - "Holy Week." Today, in fact, is Maundy Thursday, which is the day that we remember Jesus' Last Supper that he shared with his disciples in the Upper Room... (some of you are headed to our Upper Room tonight for a Seder meal, which is probably what Jesus celebrated in the Upper Room with his disciples 2000 years ago!). Someone at youth group (Caleb??) asked what the word "maundy" means. Here's wikipedia's best guess:
Most scholars agree that the English word Maundy in that name for the day is derived through Middle English and Old French mandé, from the Latin mandatum,
the first word of the phrase "Mandatum novum do vobis ut diligatis
invicem sicut dilexi vos" ("A new commandment I give unto you, That ye
love one another; as I have loved you"), the statement by Jesus in the Gospel of John 13:34 by which Jesus explained to the Apostles the significance of his action of washing their feet.
So "maundy" comes from a word that reminds us of Jesus "new commandment" (get it? think "mandate" = "command"...). The bottom line is... that Jesus commands us to love one another in a selfless way, just like he displayed when he washed his disciples' feet.
I hope that you all find some time to get in God's Word this week and take some time to pray to God, thanking him for Jesus' sacrifice and the new life and freedom that we can find in him!
Just as a reminder, there is no Life101 this Sunday - Easter Sunday. But be sure to come and join us at Glacier Park at 9am for Easter Brunch and 10am for our Easter worship service.
There will be Life101 again on Sunday, April 16th.
IMMERSED Bible Study will be happening tomorrow afternoon, 4:00-5:00, at Becca's home.