Maundy Thursday is the day during Holy Week that marks two events in Jesus' ministry; Jesus washing His disciples' feet and the Last Supper and establishing the New Covenant. John 13:3-5 outlines the washing of feet: "Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him." This act represents the reason Jesus came to Earth, which was to be a servant of God. Jesus demonstrated that He was not above serving others, and we should follow in His actions by serving our brothers and sisters in Christ. As Jesus said in John 13:16, "Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him."
The Last Supper also took place on what is remembered as Maundy Thursday. This was when Jesus and His disciples took part in the Passover Feast on the last night of Jesus' life. During this feast, Jesus predicted His betrayal, Peter's denial, and how He would be abandoned by His disciples. The most important event to occur during this meal, though, involved Jesus establishing the New Covenant with His people through the Lord's Supper or Communion. Mark 14:22-24 outlines this significant event: "While they were eating, Jesus took bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and gave it to his disciples, saying,'Take it; this is my body.' Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and they all drank from it. 'This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many,' he said to them." As author Adam Hamilton stated in his book 24 Hours That Changed the World, "In this meal and through his death and resurrection, Jesus invited all humankind to become God's covenant people." This is the greatest blessing any of us could possibly receive if we accept Jesus into our hearts, and it is this blessing we must always remember when we take part in the Lord's Supper.
Another event that coincides with Maundy Thursday this year that is not as well known is the 69th anniversary of Dietrich Bonhoeffer being arrested by the Gestapo. Eric Metaxas outlines this event in his book Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy: "He knew what was happening: the Gestapo had finally made their move. They were at the Dohnanyis, searching the house. Bonhoeffer calmly went next door to see Ursula and told her what had happened and what would likely happen next: the Gestapo would arrive and arrest him too. She prepared a large meal for him, and then Bonhoeffer went back home to put his papers in order, since the Gestapo would be having a good look around, as was their habit. He had prepared for this moment for a long time and even left a few notes specifically for their benefit. Then he returned to the Schleichers and waited. At four o'clock Bonhoeffer's father came over and told him that two men wished to speak with him. They were upstairs in his room. It was Judge Advocate Manfred Roeder and a Gestapo official named Sonderegger. Bonhoeffer met them, and taking his Bible with him, he was escorted to their black Mercedes and taken away. He would never return."
It seems fitting that Bonhoeffer had his own last supper of sorts prepared by his sister as he awaited the Gestapo. Much like Jesus, who was aware of his own impending arrest, Bonhoeffer also dealt with a similar situation, but on a much lesser scale. I also find it quite interesting that Bonhoeffer made no attempt to flee the Gestapo, even though he knew that they were coming. But that just speaks to the character of the man that Bonhoeffer was. He knew his fate and was prepared to face it. His arrest was originally in connection with his work with the Abwehr, but it eventually became known that he was deeply involved in a coup and conspiracy against Hitler. This sealed his fate, and Bonhoeffer was eventually executed upon a decree from Heinrich Himmler. It seemed fitting for Bonhoeffer to die for actions backed by his faith considering he is maybe best known for the quote, "When Christ calls a man, he bids him come and die."
My birthday seems much less significant when paired with the other events that are also commemorated on this day, April 5, 2012. Upon reflection of this past year, I think the opening to Paramore's "Hello Cold World" seem to best describe how I feel: "I feel happy, I feel sad, I feel like running through the walls. I'm overjoyed, I'm undecided, I don't know who I am." Needless to say, it's been a bit of a roller coaster ride. The highs include completing the Delaware Marathon and being awarded a Master of Science in Clinical Exercise Physiology. I was also blessed with the opportunity to travel extensively to Washington D.C., Germany, Paris, New Orleans, and New York City. Unfortunately, part of my twenty-third year seemed to hold an eery resemblance to "When I Go Down" by Relient K, specifically the line, "I've thrown away the hope I had in friendships." I had a lot go wrong in a very short period of time, and I had very few stick by my side during my darkest moments, which made me lose hope and trust. Thankfully, I grew closer to Christ in this period of my life and I held fast to Psalm 118:8, which says, "It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust in humans." I am also thankful that after a period of a few months, I've been able to forgive those who hurt me and weren't even aware of the pain caused.
I'm also aware that some of my actions assisted in my own fate. That realization became even more apparent from listening to "Who I Am Hates Who I've Been" by Relient K on my way home from work yesterday. That came after I spent some time reading part of Adam Hamilton's 24 Hours That Changed the World. Here are two quotes that stuck with me from my reading: "It is worth considering, as we look at repentance and restoration, that although Jesus knew Judas would betray him, Peter would deny him, and the others would desert him, he still washed their feet...Jesus looked past their betrayal, their sins, and their failures and called them his friends," and "Remember, these close companions were not perfect. They had let him down and would do so again. One would even betray him. Still, they were the best friends he had; and they were with him as he approached his darkest hour." What I learned from the song and from these quotes is that I need to stop placing such high expectations on people. I need to remember that I'm a screwup and so is everybody else. We still stem from Adam and Eve, even though we can find new life with Christ. No matter what, we still have the dead sin within our hearts that can hinder our walk if we allow it. More importantly, I need to learn to be more like Christ. Despite the hurt or abandonment I might endure at the hands of my friends, I must still remember to forgive them for their actions because I'm sure I'm bound to do something insensitive or knuckle-headed that we need to be forgiven in the future. That's not just a guess. That's a fact.
Looking back on all that's happened in the past year, I'm a better person after enduring all of the events. Much like a line from "24" by Switchfoot, (which seems fitting to listen to on my 24th birthday, an idea I got from a man who herded goats for Heidi), "I'm not who I thought I was twenty-four hours ago." I am continually learning each and every day and striving to better myself and my attitude as I encounter adversity and blessings in this life. My hope is to recapture hope and my ability to trust people. Every day won't be perfect, but each day is a chance to repair a broken friendship, enjoy laughs with an old friend, make new friends, or be thankful for the family that I have in my life.
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