Maundy
Today, on the day traditionally known as Maundy Thursday, I finally learned the true meaning behind the day's label. I am surprised to learn that "Maundy" means "commandment." The word “Maundy” was originally an Anglo-French word derived from the Latin “mandatum,” which translates as “commandment.” After Jesus washed his disciples' feet on that eventful evening, he gave them a simple, new commandment to "Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another." (John 13:34) When I googled the word just now, I found that the Merriam-Webster dictionary defines "Maundy" as "a ceremony of washing the feet of the poor on Maundy Thursday." I suppose that the meaning has changed over the years to reflect popular practices, although I've never been present for a foot-washing ceremony on the Thursday before Easter. All these years, as I've celebrated Communion with my church family every Maundy Thursday, I'v...