St. Paul of the Cross Monastery

Holy Thursday A

Homilist: Fr. Don Ware, C.P.

Introduction

We are now in the midst of the most Sacred Time of the year for Catholics… and indeed for all Christians.  These are our High Holy Times.  It’s interesting how the News Outlets in our country refer to Ramadan as the most sacred season of the Muslim faith, and show pictures of the Hajj pilgrims at Mecca… but seldom refer to our Holy Week as our most sacred of times, and seldom show worshippers entering Church…  Don’t look for it on CNN or on Fox.
But let us now begin to unpack Holy Thursday with reverence and with devotion.
It is important that we reflect with love on each of the days of our most sacred season, when we remember the final days in the earthly life of our Lord Jesus.
 
I  Readings 1 and 2

The first Reading from Exodus 12 remembers – brings to our attention once again – the sacred memory of the liberation of God’s people from their enslavement and bondage in Egypt.  Their deliverance is brought about by a loving God who hears their cries.  They are instructed to kill a year old male lamb, smear its blood on the doorposts of their homes, roast and eat the lamb… and be ready to be on their way.  The powers of death will pass over and not touch their homes marked with the blood of the lamb.  Thus will Yahweh deliver his people.
In the second Reading Paul describes that final dinner Jesus celebrated with his disciples.  In the course of the dinner Jesus describes what he is about to undergo… Jesus himself will suffer the powers of death…
his body broken, just like the bread he passes to his disciples…
his blood shed, just like the Jewish Passover lamb…
so that a new people of God could be delivered from their bondage to sin and the powers of death. 
Jesus in now the lamb of God, sacrificed for our deliverance from evil and enslavement to sin.
Paul says:
          For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes.
 
This sacred memory we recall tonight,
so that we might once again enter into the very life and heart of Jesus…
 
and we remember what Jesus still does for us to this day…
for Jesus is still delivering us from the powers of darkness and sin…
We also remember whose we are… we belong to Jesus…
we are the new people of God, being formed into other Christs for our world…
we are the Body of Christ in our world today… as St. Paul so often reminds us.
Sung Response….
 
II  Gospel

Now let’s look at the Gospel.
The Gospel has no account of the Institution Narrative… the story of the bread and wine at the Last Supper.  John’s Gospel meditates long and poetically on the bread and wine in Chapter 6. 
At the last Supper John presents us with the sacred memory of Jesus washing the feet of his disciples… the dirty, dust coated, smelly feet of his followers.  This was the task of a servant, not a Master.  It was a mark of hospitality and welcoming in Jesus’ times that a servant of the Master of the home you were visiting for a meal wash your feet.  In John’s Gospel Jesus, the Master, washes his disciples feet…  This would have been unheard of – Peter even protests:
          Master, are you going to wash my feet?
Peter would have none of it… wonderful Peter, blustery Peter, humble Peter… what a lovable guy… he would not dare let his beloved Master perform such a menial task for him.
But Jesus insists…
          Unless I wash you, you will have in inheritance with me.
Peter allows it.

When he finishes this servant’s task Jesus says:
          Do you realize what I have done for you?  You call me “teacher” and “master,” and rightly so, for indeed I am.  If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another’s feet.  I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do.
 
Jesus’ whole life during his ministry was one of service. Now, during his last supper with his disciples, he gives a dramatic example of service…
And challenges his disciples to follow his example…
to be people of compassion and care, serving those in need wherever  we meet them…
 
Conclusion

Let me try to simply sum up what we have learned about the Eucharist this night as we celebrate Jesus’ Last Supper with his disciples. 
Jesus is the new Lamb of God whose blood will be shed,
whose body will be broken,
To lead us… the new People of God…  out of slavery and bondage…
slavery and bondage to whatever holds us back from being the disciples Jesus calls us to be.
Jesus shows us how he would have us live and behave as his disciples…  as people who serve others, in compassion and care.
          I have given you an example… that you do what I have done.
 
This is such a counter-cultural message about the meaning of life…
our society would have us pursue money, prestige, power, consumption, acquiring “stuff” – being entertained consumers.
In such a world, so often “anything goes”… Our :feelings” reign supreme, our “wants” and “desires” are singlemindedly pursued – even if it means hurting others. 
We need Jesus’ help to rise above ourselves, our wants, our desires… so often these hold us in bondage.  We need to be delivered.  We need to be freed…
We need to realize that life is about God, not about us.
 
This celebration of the Last Supper reminds us that Jesus came among us to do just that… 
By his blood we are healed. 
By his wounds we are delivered.
By his love and forgiveness we are forgiven and given new life…
Jesus’ life. 
And we are called to now walk in his footsteps… to be other Christ’s in our world.
What a “vocation”… what a “challenge”… what a privilege.
 
Jesus, help us to be the people you want us to be.
In this Mass help us to offer ourselves to our Loving Father, along with you.
As we come to receive you into our hearts,
Free us from whatever keeps us from walking in your footsteps.

Amen.  
Return to Home Page