Before we leave Maundy Thursday, a few closing thoughts.

We started this Lenten journey with a smear of ash on our forehead. That smear of ash reminds us of our sin and need for repentance. The words that accompany the imposition of the ashes, “Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return” remind us of our mortality and human frailty. We do not have to do anything to get a coating of sin in our lives. Just to be mortal leaves us in a state of sinful rebellion.

John’s gospel does not have a description of the Last Supper as reported in the synoptic gospels. Rather, for John, Jesus’ entire life manifests the reality that “the Word became flesh and lived among us” When Jesus declares, “I am the bread of life, whoever eats of this bread will live forever” he is proclaiming that in him is life and the life is the light of all people.

Lent covers a forty-day period recalling the forty days Jesus spent in the wilderness fasting, praying, and experiencing temptation. During these forty days we may choose to “give up” something for Lent. On the other hand, we may choose to add a spiritual discipline to our lives.

Let me suggest that the Lenten journey needs be one of reflection, repentance, reconciliation, and renewal. Reflection is the intensely personal practice of humbling oneself before God. It is an honest introspection and assessment of our spiritual walk. It is not meant to be discouraging but presents a challenge to change the direction of our life to align ourselves to live more fully into the image of God.

To repent means to change direction. The time spent in reflection is meant to challenge us to change motives and practices in our lives that are contrary to the direction of the Holy Spirit. When he was physically at his lowest point Jesus was challenged to use his awesome power to satisfy his hunger, to accept power from a demonic spirit, to challenge God to deal with what would have been his own reckless behavior. In each case Jesus chose to live into the promises of God and use his power to stand for God’s values, not the values of the secular world.

When we repent, change direction, we are reconciled to God. When we are reconciled to God, we are made new creations and challenged to be ministers of reconciliation. Disagreements are inevitable. Division is a choice. The body of Christ is not meant to be a hotbed of anger, bitterness, and division. Christ-followers are intended to be like Christ. When people meet us, they need to be able quickly to discern that we are followers of the Risen Lord. Reflection and repentance lead inevitably to reconciliation with our sisters and brothers. This reconciliation mirrors the forgiveness and reconciliation we receive from our Heavenly Father.

During the forty days of Lent, we are to be renewed in the spirit of our minds, and to clothe ourselves with the new self, created according to the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness. When we are renewed our churches are renewed. We no longer choose division, rather we choose to live transformed lives that stand for the Savior we serve.

Marriages, families, churches all desperately need renewal. We wonder why our churches are declining rather than growing and the answer is sadly that we rarely live into the faith we declare.

Lent challenges us to be incarnational in our practices of living, not just engage in Sunday morning rhetoric.

The last day of Lent is called Maundy Thursday. Maundy comes from the Latin word mandatum which means mandate or command. Specifically, Maundy Thursday recalls Jesus washing the feet of the disciples. The Lenten journey began with ashes. Tonight, we recall that Jesus washed the feet of the disciples and declared them to be clean. When he had washed the disciples’ feet, he commanded them to wash one another’s feet. “If I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you.”

Lent began with a smear of ash on my forehead. It concludes tonight with an act of humble obedience. The act of a servant. We model the one who declared, “the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life a ransom for many.”

The command Jesus gave on this night is binding on all who call themselves Christ-followers. “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” We are meant to act like the one we profess to serve.