When I looked at the calendar at the end of last year, I saw that SJT would be on Maundy Thursday in April. This day is very important in Christianity because it's the day when Christ instituted both the Lord's Supper and the tradition/concept of footwashing, which some denominations do as part of a worship service. Here's some information on Maundy Thursday in case this is not part of your background:
Because this is a day of origins, I thought of expanding the prompt to ask: What are the origins of one of your spiritual practices? (This could be the historical origin of the practice, or it could be how it came to be important in your own life.) You can write about Maundy Thursday or something totally different. And as always, feel free to ignore the prompt completely and write about something else entirely! Leave your links in the comments and I'll round them up!
Origins: Maundy Thursday
A busy week,
full of
riding a donkey into town,
knocking over tables,
prophesying at the Mount of Olives,
praying in the Garden of Gethsemane,
getting betrayed,
arrested,
tried,
convicted,
tortured,
killed
and buried.
A busy week,
but still
Jesus made time
for dinner with friends,
during which there was awkward foot washing
and some confusing commentary
about eating a body and drinking blood.
Later, they got it.
And that’s what amazes,
all these centuries later,
that in the middle of such a busy week,
Jesus thought of later,
gave us language,
actions,
rituals:
thought,
in the middle of everything,
of us.
©Ruth Bowen Hersey
April 2023
Karen shares about breath prayer, with a traditional one and one she created herself. (I really love yours, Karen!)
Margaret reflects on Maundy Thursday. She has a recording of her choir singing, and a poem about footwashing. A nourishing post!
Arjeha's post is full of details of Byzantine Catholic Easter traditions. It's interesting and beautiful!
Patricia is thinking a lot about how her faith has grown and changed over the years. "To make present – memorial – ," she writes, "is something Jesus asks of us every day. Do this in memory of me. Feed the hungry. Clothe the naked. Aid the sick. Visit the imprisoned. I am searching for how to adapt my life so that these become a regular and treasured part of my days."
Chris, too, has experienced change in her faith, and her post reflects on what she's left behind and what she's kept.
Carol has chosen a couple of traditions from this time of year: Palm Sunday (what happens to those palms afterward?) and the washing of feet. She's written a lovely post!
The spiritual practice that Ramona chose to write about is singing hymns. She shares some of the hymns and the person who helped make them part of her heart.
10 comments:
When you put it like that, it is absolutely amazing. I've loved the ritual of Maundy Thursday all of my life. I don't know why. My husband refuses to go to the liturgy. He thinks it's depressing. Like you, I find that it makes me feel closer to Jesus. I'll add my link later. Working on it still.
Ruth: Thank you for your meditation on Maundy Thursday, and for your thoughtful poem. I love the emphasis, it gives me a new window into the week. Thanks also for hosting and for your prompt, and many blessings for your Easter. Here is my link: https://kceastlund.blogspot.com/2023/04/to-breathe-prayer.html
Here's my link: https://reflectionsontheteche.com/2023/04/06/spiritual-journey-maundy-thursday/
I belong here. Happy Easter. I have learned so much (too?) late in life, wish it was sooner. Attended church religiously through HS, traditional Methodist and was active. Now attend 2 churches one in Penn, one in my home town. Both glorious, both evangelical, both so amazing in every aspect. I took a 2 semester course on the Bible in college. Alas not Bible study like now. Pastor Barry at gconline.org is incredible as is Pastor Scott ( retiring after 30 yrs, sadly) who is close to being my favorite person in the world at The Crossing UMC in Penn. I am happiest when in those churches surrounded by other loving Christians worshipping, learning, praying. Because I split my time between Penn. and home, I need 2. These are practically identical. Like poetry, they nourish me. God bless you all.
Janet Clare F.
Ruth, thank you for guiding us on this Holy Thursday. Your poem beautifully illustrated how God always thinks of us. Wishing you and yours a Happy and Blessed Easter. Here is the link to my post: https://arjeha.wordpress.com/2023/04/06/christos-voskrese-voistinu-voskrese/
Ruth, here's the link to my post:https://patriciajfranz.com/blog-do-this-in-memory-of-me/
I'll come back and read/comment later this a.m.
...and exhale. Yes. Thought of us. Doesn't that just say it all? Do unto others... Such good reminders. Ruth, I love that your poem opens with Jesus' facing down a busy week (gosh, isn't that an understatement???). Probably one of the best influences in my spiritual upbringing has been Jesuits who insisted that we consider Jesus as human. Often in my spiritual imaginings, I would place myself in a scene and listen and watch from the POV of one of those in that scene: Mary, James, Peter, the blind man, etc. I haven't done this in so long. Thank you for this nudge.
Ruth, I did not expect this prompt to lead to such catharsis...I apologize right now for the meandering ways my thoughts took as I wrote. I consider myself a spiritual wanderer, still carrying much of my Catholic upbringing with me--at least as much as what soothes my soul and sits well with my sensibility. Thanks for the thoughtful prompt, and for the poem that reminds us of what Christ accomplished during this Holy Week. Here's my post: https://horizon51.blogspot.com/2023/04/spiritual-journey-thursday-you-cant.html
Ruth, I read your post many times. It is comforting reading your poem on the sequence of events that the Bible shares on God's gift of unconditional love and sacrifice. Thank you for the topic that led to research and pondering time. I look forward to reading everyone's posts. May you enjoy the remaining days before Easter Sunday.
https://beyondliteracylink.blogspot.com/2023/04/reflecting-on-spiritual-practices-sjt.html
Thanks for this prompt, Ruth, which led to much reading for me. And then to thinking about the origins of important spiritual practices in my life. Sorry I'm late to Spiritual Journey Thursday, but it took awhile to corral all my wandering thoughts.
I love your poem and these words:
"Jesus thought of later,
gave us language,
actions,
rituals:
thought,
in the middle of everything,
of us."
Thanks for gathering us this Easter season and for reminding us of Jesus and how he thought of us in the middle of everything.
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