Holy Thursday: April 17, 2025
Speaking on what makes a good friend group, a speaker once said, "Your circle should clap the loudest when you have good news. If they don't, get a new circle."
That quote reminds me of Ecclesiastes 4:9–10, which says, “Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.” These verses paint a vivid picture of the importance of friendship—friends who show up, stand by us and lift us when we fall.
Nowhere is this more powerfully demonstrated than on Maundy Thursday, the night before Jesus was crucified. That night, Jesus gathered His closest friends—the disciples—for a final meal. He knelt and washed their feet with deep humility and love. Then, He gave them a new commandment: "Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another." (John 13:34).
In the following hours, Jesus would be betrayed, denied, and abandoned by the very friends He had just served. And yet, He still called them friends, loved them, and went to the cross for them.
Maundy Thursday is a reminder that true friendship isn't just about celebration—it's about presence. It’s about sticking around when things get uncomfortable. It’s about grace.
Remember this: A true friend stays with you when you are at your worst and guides you toward your best.
Fred Rogers once said, "The greatest thing we can do is to let people know that they are loved and capable of loving."
So ask yourself—To whom are you being called to be a friend today? Not just when it’s easy or fun but when it’s complicated. Whose feet are you willing to wash? Whose burdens are you willing to help carry?
Because that is the circle that changes lives.
Pastor Jamey
Maundy Thursday Prayer
Lord Jesus, Thank You for showing us what true friendship looks like. On the night You were betrayed, You chose love, service, and grace. Help us to be that kind of friend—to show up, to lift up, and to love like You. Give us the courage to stand beside others in their hardest moments, and the humility to serve even when it costs us. May we be part of a circle that celebrates, supports, and reflects Your heart. Amen.
“The greatest thing we can do is to let people know they are loved and capable of loving.”
— Fred Rogers
"Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another."
— Jesus (John 13:34)
