MAUNDY THURSDAY

At every Catholic Mass we attend we hear these solemn words “on the night He was betrayed” and rightfully so because this night is Holy Thursday. It is part of Holy Week and devoutly celebrated in Italy because for Catholics it is one of the most important nights in all of history for Jesus and so for all Catholics. On this night Christ gave us the new commandment, a new mandate, to love one another and He loves us. A ritual enactment of the Last Supper happens at every Mass with bread and wine, but it is most appropriate on Holy Thursday, and it is the central observance of that Mass along with the washing of feet.

Another Holy Thursday custom is the visiting of seven churches. Growing up in New York City this was easy to accomplish in a few hours as there was a Catholic Church, it seemed, everywhere. Here in Atlanta, not so doable as they are far between. History tells us that this church pilgrimage is credited to a beginning in the 1500’s in Rome when St. Philip Neri would lead groups to visit each of the seven basilicas of Rome on Holy Thursday as a way of keeping watch with Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane the night before his passion. (A little side note. Growing up with attendance in Catholic schools for 14 years, the nuns would emphasize the darkness in the Garden that night. My brother and I as youngsters would continually open the window, look out and utter with assuredness to each other how extremely dark it was. To this day I am very conscious of the night sky on Holy Thursday.)

Dinner would have been a very simple meal of pasta or fish and never dessert, not even fruit.

BAKED FISH WITH TOMATOES

(A Quick and Easy Fish Dinner)

3 Tbs. Olive Oil
2 6-8 oz Fillets – Sole, Trout, Grouper, Halibut – Your Favorite
Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper
1 Large Tomato – Seeded and Chopped
1 Garlic Clove – Chopped
1 Tbs. Fresh Parsley or Basil – Chopped

Preheat oven to 400°. Brush small shallow oven-proof baking dish with a small amount of olive oil. Place fillets in a dish and season with salt and pepper. Combine remaining olive oil with the tomato and garlic in a small bowl and mix well. Spoon over fillets and bake until fish is cooked through – about 15 – 20 minutes depending on size and thickness. Sprinkle with basil or parsley and serve. 

Note: This is a great dish served on top of sautéed spinach.