Every Thursday, all of us would get together for lunch. For some odd reason, it had to be Thursday. Even when our different activities made it harder to see each other, the suggestion of changing the day of our weekly meetings never prospered. I tried to find out if there was anything special about Thursdays; some mystical or spiritual meaning, but I came up with nothing concrete.

            Apparently, Moses came down Mount Sinai with the Tablets of the Law on a Thursday. Both Judaic and Islamic traditions say Thursdays are a propitious day for fasting. It is also the day for Thanksgiving in the US and, of course, Thursday is Mushkil Gusha day.



Lalo at my place on a Thursday

            The first time I heard of Mushkil Gusha was from Lalo. For a while he became very interested in Sufi philosophy and came across the story of Mushkil Gusha. It is a relatively involved narration of a poor wood-cutter and his daughter and how their troubles are made to disappear by Mushkil Gusha, dissipater of all difficulties, whose only request is that they share what they have with others and remember him on Thursdays. In a discussion about the story, I read that although the identity of Mushkil Gusha is never specified, one can only conclude that he is a representation of God.

            Today, Holy Thursday, I noticed there is an interesting parallel with the story and the institution of the Holy Communion. In the Last Supper, Jesus essentially asks his disciples to do the same thing. To share what they have with others and to do it in remembrance of Him. During the pontificate of John Paul II, he instituted a “new” set of Mysteries for the praying of the Holy Rosary: the Luminous mysteries. One of them is precisely the institution of the Eucharist. These Mysteries of Light are to be prayed, of course, on Thursdays.

            Is this why Thursdays became so important? Is there something about the day itself that invites us to share, to commune, with others in the real sense of the word? For whatever reason, it was our day, the day we shared what we had with each other: news, jokes, sorrows, stories. So, in keeping with our tradition, have a good Thursday and share what you have with others.

Susana Olivares Bari