Maundy Thursday

My mind pressing in

through the earth's

dark motion toward

bloom, I thought of you,

glad there is no esape.

It is this we will be

turning and re-

turning to.

-Wendell Berry

Dust to dust. It's at this time in the story when Jesus is in the Upper Room with the Disciples that He tells them again what is about to happen. They still don't really grasp what He is saying. Some last minute lessons take place when Jesus demonstrates the love He wants the Disciples to spread, by getting on his knees and washing their feet.

Jesus shows us, by example, to not race up to the front, but to be last. He shows us to love neighbors and strangers. He shows us how to serve others, and lay down His life for friends.

He shows us these things so that we have someone to look to as guidance for our own actions. We have a perfect example of what to do and how to treat others. Yes, we have more modern people that we look up to for their virtuous behavior- Mother Theresa and Billy Graham, but they are still sinners, so the only perfect example of how a person should act is Jesus.

On this day, when Jesus shared bread and wine with an intimate group, He told them to think of these food items as His flesh and blood. Since we are spiritual and worldly, Jesus offers some earthly reminders in bread and wine to help us connect to the deeper meaning behind the objects. The items give us a physical representation of a spiritual purpose. But you have to take a moment to look beyond going through the motions and seeing things superficially. Look deeper....with new eyes.....