Maundy Thursday

A New Command

Maundy Thursday

A Poem

Is It Me, Lord?

The shadows dance as evening
Makes its entrance, fast and firm.
Another day done, another miracle
Seen and lived fully. The table is set.

The candlelight flickers on scrappy faces;
The vigor of youth shines through,
Along with the look of confusion.
“Is it me, Lord?” came the question.

Could it be? Betrayal seems
Impossible—we who have been
With Him constantly—never!
Yet the question hangs in the air.

The room turns hot—stifling.
The only one at ease is Him.
He gets up and looks around;
He dons the towel and bends low.

“No, Lord, you can’t…”
He looks up and smiles.
“Yes, I will. I wish to wash
Your feet first.”

“Do as I have done.
A new command I give:
Serve low, and be
Lifted high.”

“Love as I have loved you.
Serve as I have served you.
Come, take the bread—my body,
Broken for you. Take the cup—
My blood, shed for you.”

It all seems surreal.
The night has come, dark and heavy.
And we follow Him to the garden,
Our eyes heavy-laden.
Even in sleep, our hearts burn.
Why? Is it me, Lord?

-Daisy Fuentes Dronen

A Prayer

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‘He rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?” Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.” Peter said to him, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.” Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” Jesus said to him, “The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you.” For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, “Not all of you are clean.” When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. ‘

John 13:4-15

‘se levantó de la cena, y se quitó su manto, y tomando una toalla, se la ciñó. Luego puso agua en un lebrillo, y comenzó a lavar los pies de los discípulos, y a enjugarlos con la toalla con que estaba ceñido. Entonces vino a Simón Pedro; y Pedro le dijo: Señor, ¿tú me lavas los pies? Respondió Jesús y le dijo: Lo que yo hago, tú no lo comprendes ahora; mas lo entenderás después. Pedro le dijo: No me lavarás los pies jamás. Jesús le respondió: Si no te lavare, no tendrás parte conmigo. Le dijo Simón Pedro: Señor, no solo mis pies, sino también las manos y la cabeza. Jesús le dijo: El que está lavado, no necesita sino lavarse los pies, pues está todo limpio; y vosotros limpios estáis, aunque no todos. Porque sabía quién le iba a entregar; por eso dijo: No estáis limpios todos. Así que, después que les hubo lavado los pies, tomó su manto, volvió a la mesa, y les dijo: ¿Sabéis lo que os he hecho? Vosotros me llamáis Maestro, y Señor; y decís bien, porque lo soy. Pues si yo, el Señor y el Maestro, he lavado vuestros pies, vosotros también debéis lavaros los pies los unos a los otros. Porque ejemplo os he dado, para que como yo os he hecho, vosotros también hagáis. '

S. Juan 13:3-15

Reflection/ Reflexión

The intensity is palpable—every word, look, and tear is heavy. It’s as if the air is charged with electricity, discharging with every movement Jesus makes. He continues His journey toward Jerusalem, and His disciples are at His side. But His heart is breaking as He waits for the betrayal, the denial, and all the suffering that is to come.

Yet we see Him serving, loving, praying—always longing to do the will of His Father. He came to fulfill the prophecies and is willing to become the perfect Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.

How will He find us this Holy Thursday? Will He find us following His example? Or will He say to us as He told His disciples, “So you could not keep watch with Me one hour? Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.”

No matter how He finds us, His love always brings grace, His kindness leads us to repentance, and He shepherds us back to His will.

Se siente la intensidad de este día en cada palabra, cada mirada y cada lágrima. Es como si el aire estuviera cargado de electricidad y se descargara con cada movimiento de Jesús. Él sigue su camino hacia Jerusalén, con los discípulos a su lado, pero su corazón se quiebra al anticipar la traición, la negación y el sufrimiento que también lo acompañarán.

Sin embargo, lo vemos aún sirviendo, amando, orando—siempre deseando hacer la voluntad de su Padre. Él vino a cumplir la Palabra y está dispuesto a ser el Cordero perfecto que quita el pecado del mundo.

¿Cómo nos encontrará Él en este Jueves Santo? ¿Siguiendo su ejemplo? ¿O nos dirá, como les dijo a sus discípulos: “¿Así no habéis podido velar conmigo una hora? Velad y orad, para que no entréis en tentación; el espíritu, a la verdad, está presto, mas la carne enferma”?

Pero, aun como nos encuentre, su amor nos ofrece gracia y nos regresa a su voluntad.

Breath Prayer:

Breath prayer is prayer that is like the breathing of our soul. As we practice breath prayer we inhale and exhale the Spirit of God with one phrase to pray.

Now we offer up our hearts in prayer:

Inhale: Jesus, not my will

Exhale: but yours be done

Oración de Respiración

La oración de respiración es una oración que se convierte en la respiración de nuestra alma. En ella, inhalamos y exhalamos el Espíritu de Dios usando una frase para orar.

Inhala: Jesus,

Exhala: hágase tu voluntad en mi

He has drawn near and we are never the same again.

Gracefully,

Daisy