Maundy Thursday.--The name given to Thursday in Holy Week, "Maundy"
being a corruption of _Dies Mandati_, meaning the Day of the
Command; mandati, derived from _Mandatum_, meaning a command. The
name is given from the command our Lord gave on this day, when He
instituted the Holy Communion, viz.: "Do this in remembrance of Me;"
and also His commandment concerning love. "That ye love one another
as I have loved you." Thursday in Holy Week is sometimes incorrectly
called "Holy Thursday," a name which from time immemorial has been
given to Ascension Day. Maundy Thursday is always observed with
great solemnity. The celebration of the Holy Eucharist on this day
has great significance, and is never omitted where it is possible
to be had. The ecclesiastical color for the celebration is white,
but for other services of the day, violet. {186}
Meditation.--An act of the devout life by which the soul seeks
closer intercourse with God. It has been well said that "Meditation
is the correlative of Prayer. In Prayer we speak to God. In
_Meditation_ God speaks to us. We bow our heads to listen; therefore
Meditation should be on our knees. It is the attitude of a humble
and teachable frame of mind, and our acknowledgment of the Divine
Presence."
Membership, Church.--(See BAPTISM, HOLY; JOINING THE CHURCH, and
also NAME, THE CHRISTIAN.)
Mensa.--A slab of stone used as the surface of the Altar is so
called. _Mensa_ is a Latin word, meaning a table.
Michael (St.) and All Angels.--A Holy Day of the Church observed on
September 29th. A Festival in honor of St. Michael and All Angels,
to commemorate the community of service between angels and men, has
been observed since the Fifth Century. Formerly two days were
dedicated to St. Michael, viz., May 8th and September 29th, and in
medieval times a third, on October 16th, but the day most generally
observed was that which we now keep. In the Eastern Church, St.
Michael's Day is November 8th, while March 26th and July 13th are
observed in honor of the Archangel Gabriel. These two, Michael and
Gabriel, are the only angels or archangels whose names are mentioned
in the Bible. St. Michael and All Angels' Day is observed with great
solemnity. Proper Psalms are appointed being the 91st and 103d for
Morning Prayer, and the 34th and 148th for Evening Prayer. There are
also Proper Lessons, and {187} Collect, Epistle and Gospel. The
Church color is white. (See HOLY ANGELS.)