Two-Fold Christian Passover: I. Maundy Thursday – Jesus Hosts Passover Sedar in the Cenacle, According to the Synoptic Gospels

Thursday of Holy Week is known as Maundy Thursday, besides it is called Holy Thursday, because it is the day to commemorate that Jesus gave his Mandatum Novum (new commandment) to his disciples on the night before his death, during the Lord’s Supper, according to John’s Gospel. However, the Gospel reading for this day is drawn from John 13:1-15, and it is about Jesus washing his disciples’ feet to teach a very important lesson: Service. Because it was the night before his death, Jesus wanted the Supper not just to be an ordinary table fellowship but a critical opportunity to pass important teaching of his to the disciples more intimately, followed by his intimate prayer, as John wrote extensively on this night of the Supper from John 13:1 to John 17:26. What we commemorate today began with Jesus’ service of foot washing to his disciples feet (John 13:1-17), followed by his foretelling of one of his disciple betraying him soon (13:18-30), Jesus giving the disciples his Mandatun Novum of love, in connection to his teaching on the foot washing service (13:31-35), Jesus foretells Peter’s denial (13:36-38), Jesus’ farewell discourse, in which Jesus hints his Christological nature in the Trinitarian context to explain his relation to the disciples, to comfort and encourage the disciples  (14:1-16:33), and a set of Jesus’ prayers for him (17:1-5), for the disciples (17:6-19), and for all believers (17:20-26), before facing his betrayer, Judas, and those who were with him, those whom Judas “sold” Jesus to for 30 silver coins on Spy Wednesday, to be arrested in the Kidron Valley (18:1-14).

On the other hand, the writers of the Synoptic Gospels, Matthew, Mark, and Luke, describe the evening of this day as the Sabbath of Pesach (Passover), the beginning of the seven-day festival of the Unleavened Bread and describe the Lord’s Supper as Passover Sedar dinner, during which Jesus instituted the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist (the 5^th Luminous Mystery of the Holy Rosary) (Matthew 26:17-35//Mark 14:12-31//Luke 22:7-38).

While the Synoptic Gospels describe that the Lord’s Supper took place in the Cenacle on the evening of Passover, which was the night before his death, Johhannine Gospel describes that Passover was the evening of the day that Jesus died, as Jesus died during the day of preparation for Passover (John 19:31). Therefore, in John’s Gospel, the Lord’s Supper, which was held in the night before Jesus’ death, was not Passover Sedar but Jesus’ farewell extensive table fellowship with his disciples before Passover.

It seems that there are two “Passover’s in the canonical four Gospels: the night before Jesus’ death (Matthew, Mark, Luke), the night that fell after Jesus’ death (John). Jesus had the Passover Sedar table fellowship with the disciples, instituting the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist, according to Matthew, Mark, and Luke. But, Jesus died on the day of Passover preparation, as if he was the Passover sacrificial lamb slaughtered the Passover preparation day, according to John.

The evening of Maundy Thursday is Passover, during which Jesus commanded to eat his body and drink his blood, in instituting the Eucharist at the Lord’s Supper in the Synoptic Gospels, while the evening of Good Friday is Passover, as Jesus was crucified on the day of its preparation, as a Passover lamb to be slaughtered, as Lamb of God to take away the sin of the world, in Johannine Gospel. Therefore, I say that the Passover for Christians is two-fold: Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. And, today, Maundy Thursday is the Part I of this two-fold Christian Passover that Jesus is involved. In the Part I Christian Passover, following the Synoptic Gospels, the Lord’s Supper was Passover Sedar, through which Jesus instituted the Eucharist. And, today’s first reading (Exodus 12:1-8, 11-14) gives the background of Passover and its Sedar supper, while today’s Gospel reading describes the background of Jesus’ Mandatum Novum, for which today is called Maundy Thursday, as his foot washing service to his disciples (John 13:1-15). The word, “maudy’ comes from the Latin word, “mandatum”, which means a command.

Today, Maundy Thursday, itself is two-fold, as during the day time of this day is the last day of Lent, which this evening is the beginning of Paschal Triduuu. We celebrate Chrism Mass during the day today for the Reception of the Holy Oils, mixture of olive oil and perfume, and we commemorate the Lord’s Supper at Mass this evening, including foot washing service, following homily, before moving on to the Liturgy of the Eucharist. The Gospel reading today (John 13:1-15) reflects the foot washing service between the Liturgy of the World and the Liturgy of the Eucharist at Maundy Thursday Mass of the Lord’s Supper. We sing “Ubi Caritas” as an antiphon for the foot washing service, in which a priest, who is in persona Christi, washes the feet of some members of the congregation, as Jesus did to his disciples.

“Ubi Caritas” holds what the Synoptic Gospels emphasize for this day: Jesus instituting the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist during the Lord’s Supper on Passover evening, night before his death, and Jesus washing his disciple’s feet prior to the Lord’s Supper to give them Mandatum Novum: to love one another as he has loved them, as it is sung as an antiphon for the Maundy Thursday evening Mass before the Eucharistic celebration. Why? Because “Ubi Caritas” is also sung for our devotion to the Eucharist, as we sing this for Eucharistic Adoration and Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament, in addition to singing for Foot Washing Service.

Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est. Congregavit nos in unum Christi amor. Exultemus, et in ipso iucundemur. Timeamus, et amemus Deum vivum. Et ex corde diligamus nos sincero.

Where charity and love are, God is there. Christ’s love has gathered us into one. Let us rejoice and be pleased in Him. Let us fear, and let us love the living God. And may we love each other with a sincere heart.

Et ex corde diligamus nos sincero. Indeed, Jesus has commanded, “Mandatum novum do vobis :ut diligatis invicem : sicut dilexi vos, ut et vos diligatis invicem” (John 13:34).

After Holy Thursday Mandatum Mass, the transfer of the blessed Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist to the Alter of Repose is carried out, while singing “Pange Lingua”, to preserve Corpus Christi for Good Friday communion distribution and for Paschal Vigil Mass. This means that Tabernacle become empty. It is to signify that the presence of the Lord in the Blessed Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist is transferred to a more secure place: the Alter of Repose, special alter designated for this purpose somewhere in the sanctuary, before the alter on which the Eucharist is celebrated, will be stripped away. The stripping the alter reflects God passing through Egypt to strike down every firstborn on the night of Passover (Exodus 12:13). Also, after the evening Mass on Maundy Thursday, Baptismal Font is also emptied.

The sanctuary will look very different without familiar sacred objects. In juxtaposition to God passing through with great might, stripping things away to kill all firstborns in Egypt (Exodus12:13), what is reflected in this alteration is the fall and passing of the darkness, which kills Jesus, the beloved servant only begotten Son of God, upon his agonizing suffering. This darkness began falling by the time Jesus prayed in agony in the dark Garden of Gethsemane, just before being arrested by the forces that Judas sold him to for 30 silver coins. In this darkness, Jesus was taken away like a gentle lamb to be slaughtered. As the darkness falls, after Maundy Thursday Mass, some faithful remain in the dark sanctuary, where the alter is stripped the Tabernacle is emptied and the Baptismal Fount has no water, for Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament.

The background of the Passover aspect of Maundy Thursday is reflected in today’s first reading (Exodus 12:1-8, 11-14). The Passover Sedar supper had to be done in haste, before God passes over to strike all firstborns in Egypt. That is why the Eucharist is transferred to a safe place: Alter of Repose, after the Eucharistic celebration on this evening. But, even though the Supper had to be eaten in hurry, Jesus wanted to make sure that all of his disciples have their feet washed, as it is a service of hospitality (cf. Luke 7:36-50) and to teach the servant leadership of love , as reflected in “Ubi Caritas” and its essence reflected in the Mandatum Novum of love (John 13:34).

Out of his love for them, Jesus wanted to make sure that every disciple of his is clean. Being washed is a mark of being saints (Revelation 7:12-14). Before they would be washed by his blood, Jesus wanted to wash their feet so that they have part in him (John 13:7). Jesus later explains what it means to have part in him during his discourse. It means to be in him, as he is in them, just as he is in the Father and He is in him (John 14:20). He elaborates meaning of having part in him through the metaphor of the vine and its branches (John 15:1-17). Additionally, by teaching the service of foot washing, Jesus was implicating that his disciples would be worthy to serve priestly roles (cf.  Exodus 30:17-21).

The foot washing service symbolizes an act of love, as it is an example of Jesus’ Mandatum Novum, issued at the Lord’s Supper, on the evening before his death. First, Jesus offered this love to his disciples by washing their feet. Then, he commanded to do to one another likewise.

In today’s Gospel story, there is one disciple, who first refused Jesus’ offer of love. And, it was Peter.

In John 13:6-9, Peter exposes his true personality – pride disguised in humility.

Peter’s pride rejected Jesus’ offer to wash his feet (John 13:8, cf Luke 5:8). It was like saying, “Hey, I don’t need you to help me. I can take care of it by myself!” This kind of pride is disguised by fake humility. It gives an impression that Peter feels he is humble enough to feel unworthy of Jesus’ offer of his service.

When Peter rejected Jesus upon catching the net-full of fish, he felt that his pride as the chief fisherman of Capernaum was hurt by Jesus.

Peter like to be the boss among the disciples. For him to keep this face, Peter wants to make an impression that he is the best-serving disciple among them for Jesus. That is why he said he would die for Jesus, though he was not yet ready and qualified to do so. But, his pride made him stretch himself too far.

In regard to this statement, it is not just pride of Peter but his strong affection for Jesus. Yet, it was not yet genuine agape – as it was the case when the risen Jesus asked Peter if he loves him (John 21:15-17).

It is our pride that rejects help from God and even God. Let us remove pride out of us, as the Israelites remove all yeast-containing products out of their house for Passover and the rest of the feast of Unleavened Bread (Exodus 12:15, cf 1 Corinthians 5:7)!