Holy Weekಮಾದರಿ

Holy Thursday: A Day of Love and Betrayal

Holy Thursday, also called Maundy Thursday, is a very important day for Christians. The word “Maundy” comes from the Latin word “mandatum,” which means “command.” On this day, Jesus gave His disciples a new command: to love each other as He loved them (John 13:34). This is the heart of the day’s message—love that is sacrificial and unconditional.

The evening started with Jesus having the Passover meal with His disciples. As they ate, Jesus shocked them by saying that one of them would betray Him. His disciples were upset, each wondering if they would be the one to turn against Him. Then, during the meal, Jesus took the bread and the wine and told them that they represented His body and blood. He was telling them that His body would be broken and His blood would be spilled for the forgiveness of their sins. This became the foundation of what we call the Lord’s Supper. Every time we share in this meal, we remember Jesus' sacrifice for us.

But during this sacred moment, a dark turn came. Judas, one of Jesus’ closest friends, quietly left the table to go to the religious leaders and betray Jesus for thirty pieces of silver. While Jesus gave a command to love one another, Judas chose betrayal.

After the meal, Jesus went with His disciples to a garden called Gethsemane. There, He prayed to God, feeling deeply troubled about the suffering that was coming. He asked His disciples to stay awake and pray with Him, but they kept falling asleep. Jesus’ heart was heavy, and He prayed for God’s will to be done, even though it meant great pain for Him.

Soon, Judas came with a crowd of people to arrest Jesus. He betrayed Him with a kiss, and Jesus, knowing this was part of God’s plan, quietly accepted His arrest. His disciples fled, leaving Him to face the authorities alone.

Peter followed at a distance, but when people saw him and asked if he knew Jesus, he denied it three times. As soon as the rooster crowed, Peter remembered Jesus’ words, and he felt deep sorrow and regret.

When we look at Holy Thursday, we see how different Jesus is from us. Judas betrayed Him, and Peter denied Him, but through it all, Jesus remained faithful. He never betrayed them, He never denied them, and He never let them down. Jesus was always true to His mission, even when the people closest to Him failed.

The amazing truth is that just as Jesus was faithful to them, He is faithful to us. No matter what we face—whether it's a trial, a struggle, or a moment of doubt—Jesus will never let us down. He is faithful in every season, through every challenge, and in every circumstance. He is a perfect Savior, loving us with a faithfulness that we can always depend on. When others may fail us, or we may fail ourselves, Jesus remains unchanging. He is the faithful one we can always trust.

Reflection:

Jesus is different from anyone else in our lives. He is pure, powerful, and present. But the people in our lives aren’t perfect like Jesus is. Have you ever experienced a time when you felt let down by others? How does knowing that Jesus is always faithful bring you comfort?

Prayer:

Jesus, thank You for Your love and sacrifice. Thank You for giving Your body and blood for the forgiveness of our sins. Help us to love others the way You love us, even when it’s hard. Forgive us when we mess up, and help us to grow closer to You. Amen.