Easter in Jerusalem: Maundy Thursday

From the joyous procession of Palm Sunday to a dark walk toward agony.

Maundy Thursday is also Holy Thursday. Maundy comes from the Latin Mandatum (order) to recognize the Commandment given by Jesus at the Last Supper: Love each other as I have loved you.

The liturgy for this day is packed and moves you toward places that are not easy to go. The service at the Cathedral here Thursday night began as usual - lots of light, opening hymn, people bustling. Then, as the liturgy unfolds we hear about the Last Supper. About that Commandment, about how one of his own is going to betray Jesus. About Jesus washing the disciples' feet, an outrageous act of radical humility and service. In the liturgy, feet of parishioners are washed. The head of the Episcopal Church in the US, the Presiding Bishop, is visiting this week. Last night, she and the Bishop of Jerusalem knelt and washed feet. See the photos in the slideshow.

This act during the service changed everything. As we watched, first in curiosity, our thoughts turned inward and our feelings went deeper. What did this mean for us last night, what did it mean then for the people around Jesus? The mood shifts. People become subdued, prayerful, somehow fearful or maybe awestruck.

After the footwashing, it becomes very quiet. The priests set about removing their outer robes, so colorful and elaborate; the hangings in the church are removed. The lights go out, one by one. The setting becomes starker, sadder, bereft. As darkness sets in we hear the beginning of Psalm 22, "My God, My God, Why Hast Thou Forsaken Me"

The service fades out...no music, no processing, everyone just turns and walks out in silence. We gather outside and begin to walk. We walk through the streets of East Jerusalem. Some people we pass on the streets stare, some pause reverently, some mock, some don't seem to notice or care. Traffic is heavier than usual as other pilgrims head where we are going - to the Garden of Gethsemane. We descend down into the Kidron Valley, cross it, then up the Mt of Olives. But we don't follow the crowd. We head down a side pathway away from the light. In a dark quiet spot, our group of about 25 stops and we share our thoughts or stand in silence; we sing; we pray. We look out across Kidron to Jerusalem. Jesus saw this view many times. That night, from the Garden of Gethsemane, just steps away from us, what was he thinking? Maybe the same thing some of us are thinking: Pray for the Peace of Jerusalem.