Thursday of the Lord’s Supper

Thursday of the Lord’s Supper (Year C)

Ex. 12:1-8, 11-14; 1Cor 11:23-26; John 13:1-15

Eucharist and Washing of Feet

 Life in Palestine in the time of Jesus was hard. The popular means of transport was your feet. People walked long distances on rough, dusty roads to go from Galilee to Jerusalem, for example. Travellers often arrived their destinations with sore and aching feet. As a sign of hospitality, the host would see to it that his guests were given a warm foot bath and massage as a way of relieving their aches and pains. This was usually done by the house servants or slaves.

The disciples would have understand Jesus washing their feet in light of this cultural background. And for us it is a pointer to the meaning of the Eucharist we celebrate.

Understood in light of the washing of feet, the Eucharist is a place of restoration for people on the way. The life of a Christian in the world is a pilgrimage, a long, hard journey. Along the way we get tired and worn out and we are tempted to give up and turn back. But Jesus has provided us with the Eucharist as a place where we can go in to bathe our aching feet and to be refreshed in body and soul for the journey that is still ahead. When we give communion to a sick person we call it viaticum which means “provisions for a journey.” The Eucharist is always a viaticum: in the Eucharist we derive strength to continue our upward journey toward God.

In the story we find that Peter was uncomfortable with having Jesus wash his feet. Peter, who was somewhat of an activist, would have preferred to see himself doing the washing, washing the feet of Jesus and even of the other disciples. Sometimes it is harder to remain passive and allow someone else to bathe us than it is to bathe someone else, as every toddler can tell you. But having our feet washed and washing the feet of others are two sides of the coin we call the Christian life.

The first and most essential part is to let the Lord wash us. As Jesus said to Peter, “Unless I wash you, you have no share with me” (Jn 13:8). First, the Lord washes us clean so that we belong to the Lord. Only then are we qualified and empowered to wash the feet of our sisters and brothers in the Lord. When this truth dawned on Peter, he overcame his reluctance and cried out, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” (v. 9). For this to happen all that the Lord needs from us is simply for us to be there, to present ourselves to him and to let him wash us.

The other side of the coin, which is equally important, is that after our feet have been washed by the Lord, we must go and wash the feet of others. After Jesus had washed his disciples’ feet, he said to them:

Do you know what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord and you are right, for that is what I am. So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you (John 13:12-15).

Jesus establishes a close link between him washing the disciples’ feet and the disciples washing the feet of others. If the Eucharist is the place where the Lord washes our feet, daily life is the place where we ought to wash the feet of others. Eucharist leads to life leads to Eucharist. True Eucharist piety must lead to service of others. Jesus who broke the bread of the Eucharist also washed the feet of his disciples. We must follow his example both at the altar of the Eucharist and at the altar of life.

A challenge for humble service. Our celebration of the Eucharist requires that we wash one another’s feet, i.e., serve one another, and revere Christ’s presence in other persons. In practical terms, that means we are to consider others’ needs to be as important as our own, and to serve their needs without expecting any reward.

A loving invitation for sacrificial sharing and self-giving love. Let us imitate the self-giving model of Jesus who shares with us his own Body and Blood and who enriches us with his Real Presence in the Holy Eucharist. It is by sharing our blessings – our talents, time, health, and wealth — with others, that we become true disciples of Christ and obey his new commandment: “Love one another as I have loved you.”

 An invitation to become Christ-bearers and Christ-conveyers: “Go forth, the Mass is ended,” really means, “Go in peace to love and serve one another.’’ We are to carry Jesus to our homes and places of work, conveying to others around us the love, mercy, forgiveness, and spirit of humble service of Christ whom we carry with us.

Introduction

We celebrate three anniversaries on Holy Thursday: 1) the anniversary of the first Holy Mass; 2) the anniversary of the institution of ministerial priesthood in order to perpetuate the Holy Mass, to convey God’s forgiveness to repentant sinners, and to preach the Good News of salvation; 3) the anniversary of Jesus’ promulgation of his new commandment of love: “Love one another as I have loved you” (Jn 13:34). 

Sisters and brothers, like the apostles of old we gather at the table of the Lord and learn the meaning of humble service.

1.                 We pray for the Church in every place that faith in Jesus in the Eucharist

will sustain, nourish and fill them with charity.

2.                 We pray for Pope Francis in his needs, that his Christ-like love of the poor will lead the Christian community to care for them as a fruit of their sharing the Eucharist.

3.                 We pray for Bishop Edward and all priests and deacons who serve in this diocese, that their lives will be dedicated to serving the people after the example of Jesus, the Suffering-Servant.

4.                 We pray for the people of the Holy Land where Jesus first shared his Body and Blood with this disciples, that he may save everyone from the hatred and violence of war, and bring them peace.

5.                 We pray for all Christians who suffer persecution, that with a firm faith in Jesus Christ, they will be united with him in his sufferings and come to know the glory of his resurrection.

Father, we pray for the community of the Church.  and the clergy called to serve, that the Eucharist will be the source and centre of the Christian life of every Catholic. Through Christ our Lord.

 Today is Holy Thursday or Maundy Thursday. The word ‘Maundy’ comes from the Latin word mandatum meaning an order or command. It refers to Christ’s final command via His apostles given at the Last Supper – that we must love one another as He loves us. To show this love, he got down on His knees before the meal and washed the apostles’ feet one by one.

Feet washing is part of the Maunday Thursday’s Last Supper celebration and even Mass for the Holy Chrism. But for me, it may be done in any day of the year even at home or office we have to wash each other’s feet. Like a sacrament, it is a celebration of healing, forgiveness and service. It is a celebration of healing and forgiveness between father and mother who quarreled, parents and children and the rest of the family including the house helps.

After hearing John 13:4-15, after my homily and during the washing of the feet, I invite each of you to look at your own feet and the feet of others. We naturally feel embarrassed exposing our feet to the scrutiny of others. In biblical times, feet were considered the most defiled part of the body and no one was allowed to touch them. Feet washing before entering a house in those days was a cleansing ritual, a sign of respect for both the host and his guests. Just like what happened in the wedding at Cana by which there were prepared jars of waters.

When Jesus began to touch and wash the feet of the apostles, they were. Of course, shocked and embarrassed especially Peter. The feet of a fisherman, even today, are not exactly the most dainty in the world. Jesus knew what sort of feet He was about to fondle and touch. It is like exposing your hemorrhoid or athlete’s foot to a physician for healing. Jesus did not mind whether you pedicure or you put any decoration in your nails. What matters, He touches them out of His great love and service for them. It means loving someone to the point of lowering oneself and giving one’s life for the beloved.

During the Last Supper, Jesus just stood up, took a towel and stooped down to wash the dirty feet of His men. It was all spontaneous. No time for a pedicure and practice as in liturgical washing of feet today. Jesus expects us to allow Him to enter into the most embarrassing, defiled and painful areas of our being without rehearsal or make-up and humbly to express ourselves just as we are, with warts, pimples, without mask and others for the cleansing and healing through His love and service.

During this washing of the feet, I invite everyone to recall the times you have hurt or was hurt by another. Now is the time to give and receive forgiveness. Allow a few minutes of silence to remember the persons for whom you have the least affection and see how you reach out to him/her even as Jesus is prepared to stoop down before you wash your feet. Be Jesus to him/her by washing his/her feet and then allowing your feet to be washed also by him/her.

At he end, our feet can be used wherever we go, for walk and for running so that we can serve and love others. But negatively, these feet can be used also to kick others. How many of us use one’s feet to kick others rather than to serve and love them?

Fr. Basil