Holy Thursday Is On

“So when He had washed their feet, taken His garments, and sat down again, He said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you?  You call Me Teacher and Lord, and you say well, 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 should do as I have done to you.  Most assuredly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him.”- St. John’s 13:12-16

The devil is a liar. In an age of COVID19 pandemic and all the precautionary measures which have been instituted by governments across the world to curtail the spread of the virus let it be known that Easter is still on. Easter is perhaps the most significant and oldest of all religious celebrations in Christendom. For most of us who have been socialized in a Judea-Christian background Easter is very precious and sacred.  Holy Thursday is the commemoration of the Last Supper of Jesus Christ, when he established the sacrament of Holy Communion prior to his arrest and crucifixion. Holy Thursday falls on the Thursday before Easter and is part of Holy Week. Jesus celebrated the dinner as a Passover feast. Christ would fulfill His role as the Christian victim of the Passover for all to be saved by His final sacrifice. The Last Supper was the final meal Jesus shared with his twelve disciples in Jerusalem. It was during the meal that Jesus predicted his betrayal by Judas Iscariot. The meaning of #Easter is Jesus Christ's victory over death. Christ's resurrection symbolizes the eternal life that is granted to all who believe in Him. The meaning of Easter also symbolizes the complete verification of all that Jesus preached and taught during His three-year ministry. Imagine if Jesus did not rise from the dead, if He had merely died and not been resurrected, He would have been considered just another teacher or Rabbi. However, Jesus’ resurrection changed all that and gave final and irrefutable proof that He was really the Son of God and that He had conquered death once and for all. In a time of curfews and social distancing which has brought about significant changes to how we live, socialize and communicate; Easter and the meaning therefore remains unshaken. Followers of Christ have a divine reassurance that if we remain faithful to the end we too will inherit everlasting life. St. John’s 14:3, says, “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.” Jesus Christ is still the same today, as He was yesterday and will be tomorrow. Hebrews 13:8. Easter is a time of renewal. This time of renewal comes at a time when the world is at a crossroads. We are at a defining moment in the annals of world history regarding the novel coronavirus which to date has killed over 113.000 people and have infected over 1.9 million people.  In the same ways Jesus’ redemptive blood has transformed the lives of all who have accepted His salvation, the world will never be the same again as we move towards a post-coronavirus era. The world is inching towards a new normal both in the literal as well as in the spiritual realms. Jesus’ spirit of omnipresence makes it possible for us to have church and worship even in a time when restrictions are placed on the number of people who can gather in public spaces. Jesus’ omniscience allows for Him to know everything. He knows the end of this coronavirus as much as He knew the beginning. In this period of uncertainty regarding the loss of jobs and the loss of health insurance, this is critical to so many. Understandably, there is a spirit of fear and confusion surrounding the coronavirus. Psalm 127:1 gives us that reassurance on #HolyThursday.“The Lord will keep you from all harm; He will watch over your life.” Jesus’ omnipotent power is greater than COVID19. We should be bold in a time like this. Easter has not been cancelled nor is it postponed. Do not give into fear. 2 Timothy 1:7, says, For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind. In a dispensation of face masks, gloves, face shields and hand sanitizers the spirit of Easter fosters and soothes. Our minds are renewed daily as we face the various challenges. In a time when so many of us are challenged with our mental wellness due to loneliness be reassured that the spirit of Holy Thursday reinforces within us that God will never leave nor forsake us.   

St. Matthew, chapter 26 and verses 26-28, And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, “Take, eat; this is My body.” Then He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you. For this is My blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

Wayne Campbell is an educator and social commentator with an interest in development policies as they affect culture and or gender issues.
waykam@yahoo.com
@WayneCamo
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