Holy Thursday

On this day in 33 A.D., Jesus met in the upper room with his disciples for the final time. His heart was heavy as:

• He broke bread with them, the bread representing His body that would soon be broken and twisted and bruised for the sins of the world. 
• He washed their feet, showing them how they should live when He was no longer with them--as clean vessels, ministering to the needs of others. 
• He asked them the hard questions, giving them the chance to accept, if not embrace, their future without Him.
• He predicted the future, sharing the sorry news that His disciples would all desert Him for a time.
• He comforted them, promising to send the Holy Spirit of Truth to lead them along.
• He later prayed for them and for those who would follow them even to this present day--that we all would be one even as He and the Father were One.

Jesus knew that a tortuous future awaited Him on earth. Yet, as always, His concern was for others. 

Even as we glimpse what was critically important to Him in His last hours on earth, may we accept, and even embrace, our circumstances, knowing that this is what He would have wanted. Could Jesus ever ask too much from those He was willing to die for?