{"id":1806,"date":"2025-04-14T11:44:53","date_gmt":"2025-04-14T11:44:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/urc.org.uk\/?p=57345"},"modified":"2025-04-14T11:44:53","modified_gmt":"2025-04-14T11:44:53","slug":"maundy-thursday-denial-betrayal-but-the-command-to-love","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/standrewsurcrustington.org.uk\/?p=1806","title":{"rendered":"Maundy Thursday: Denial, betrayal, but the command to love"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>\n

The Revd Nigel Uden, Minister of Fulbourn and Downing Place United Reformed churches in Eastern Synod, takes a fresh look at Maundy Thursday and Jesus\u2019 new commandment to love \u2013 asking us what our response should be.<\/strong><\/p>\n

This is an ironic day. Just as Jesus experiences his followers\u2019 denial, betrayal and abandonment, he gives his new commandment, \u201cAs I have loved you, you also should love one another\u201d.<\/p>\n

New? Was anything new about loving one another? What about Ruth and Naomi, David and Jonathan? Hannah and Samuel, Hosea and Gomer?<\/p>\n

Perhaps Jesus\u2019 commandment is new because he suggests there is something in the way he loves that particularly intimates the ideal of loving to which God calls us. He loves unconditionally, limitlessly, resiliently. Surely, it\u2019s only that measure of love by which a person could endure crucifixion. After all, there is nothing in it for him; this is self-emptying love to the point of death. He loves because love is his nature.<\/p>\n

Maybe we feel this degree of love is beyond us. Yet, can\u2019t we all think of those whose love is sacrificial? Hospice nurses; aid workers; lone parents; the partners of those living with dementia.<\/p>\n

In urging this new way, Jesus doesn\u2019t say \u201chere\u2019s how I love, but you\u2019ll never be up to that\u201d. It\u2019s a word of encouragement. \u201cCome on, here\u2019s how I love you; now, walk my way and love my way, too. Don\u2019t impose conditions, set limits, or give up. Sure, you\u2019ll falter and fail sometimes; there was a moment when I asked God to take such a cup from me. But as God stirred me to love, so God will stir you to love.\u201d<\/p>\n

This is not a call to the impossible way, but to the new way, the renewing way, by which shadows are dispersed and hope is restored. With God\u2019s help it can be our way, the world\u2019s way. Let\u2019s pray that it be so.<\/p>\n

Prayer<\/strong><\/p>\n

God, whose best name is Love,<\/p>\n

your command to love is<\/p>\n

not to intimidate us<\/p>\n

but to inspire us.<\/p>\n

By your Spirit,<\/p>\n

transform our timidity into confidence,<\/p>\n

our unpredictability into consistency and<\/p>\n

our coldness into compassion<\/p>\n

until we love as you love us<\/p>\n

through Jesus Christ,
Amen.<\/p>\n

Image: <a href="http:\/\/Photo by Stockcake<\/a>“>Stockcake<\/a><\/p>\n

Source<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Revd Nigel Uden, Minister of Fulbourn and Downing Place United Reformed churches in Eastern Synod, takes a fresh look at Maundy Thursday and Jesus\u2019 new commandment to love \u2013 asking us what our response should be. This is an … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1807,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[3],"tags":[10],"class_list":["post-1806","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-urc-news","tag-urc"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t