Maundy Thursday: A Meal to Remember
A table set with bread and a cup can remind people of an important story. For many Christians, that story is remembered on Maundy Thursday, the Thursday before Easter. The day is part of Holy Week, when Christians remember events leading up to Jesus’s death and celebrate his resurrection at Easter.
Maundy Thursday is also called Holy Thursday. Its name is connected to a Latin word meaning “command.” It refers to Jesus’s instruction that his followers should love one another. Churches observe the day in different ways, but many of their customs connect to a meal known as the Last Supper.
The meal and its meaning
The Last Supper is described in the New Testament, a collection of Christian writings. According to these accounts, Jesus shared a meal with his disciples, his close followers, before he was arrested. During the meal, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it, and gave it to them. He also shared a cup of wine. Christians understand these actions as deeply meaningful, though churches explain their meaning in different ways.
- resurrection:
- A return to life after death.
- disciples:
- People who follow and learn from a teacher.
- ceremony:
- A set of actions performed for a special occasion or purpose.
- represent:
- To stand for or show an idea.
- reflect:
- To think carefully about something.
- observances:
- Actions or customs used to mark a special day or event.
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Main Idea
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Summarize
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Preview questions from this passageShowHide
- 1How do the bread and cup connect a Maundy Thursday service to the Last Supper?
- 2Why is the name Maundy Thursday connected to the idea of love?
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About this explanatory article passage for Upper Elementary
“Maundy Thursday: A Meal to Remember” is a explanatory article reading passage about Christian Traditions, written for Upper Elementary. It takes about 3 minutes to read (498 words) and comes with an interactive quiz and a printable worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.