Homily: Holy Thursday

Homily: Holy Thursday (John 13:1-15) “Priests and Servants.”

Holy Thursday commemorates the beginnings of two Sacraments that are essential to our faith. We remember the institution of the Eucharist and the beginnings of the priesthood.

When we think about that we should be surprised by the fact that Gospel of John does not have an institution narrative at the Last Supper. Jesus washes feet instead. Does this say that John left something out of the Gospel or that we have some misunderstanding about the Eucharist?

When we come forward to receive the Eucharist the host is held up for us to see and the minister says, “The Body of Christ.” We respond, “Amen.” The host is the body of Christ, but we also are the body of Christ. St. Augustine would not use this rite when he distributed the Eucharist, but he would hold up the host and say words that we might translate, “Become what you receive.”

He did not mean, become a piece of Bread, but he meant, become the Body of Christ. We have two challenges presented to us with this ritual. One challenge is to invest in the Christian Community (The Body of Christ). Secondly, we are to show the love that Jesus showed (a love we call charity).

The foot washing then is not totally disconnected from the Eucharist. No, it’s meaning is very similar to the Eucharistic action. If we wanted to put it another way, we can say that the Eucharist speaks of sacrifice and the foot washing represents self-sacrifice.

The priesthood also is to be a life of self-sacrifice. We are all anointed priest, prophet and royalty at Baptism. We are all to offer sacrifice. When we pray at Mass, we make our offering to the Lord individually and as a community. Jesus as the ordination rite of the church says, “came to serve, not to be served.” We are all to live as servants of the Lord.

Reflection Questions:

1.    What does it mean to become what we receive? Would it be more meaningful to utter those words?

2.   How do I wash other’s feet? Am I a servant of the Lord?

 Dear Parishioners,

           Good Friday service is often misunderstood. We call the Good Friday service, “The Celebration of the Lord’s passion. This is not a Mass. The service is broken up into three pieces. The first part of the service is the Liturgy of the Word. The main reading is the Passion narrative according to John.

          The second part of the service is the adoration of the Cross. We come forward to reverence the wood of the cross. We do this by kneeling, bowing or kissing the cross. We embrace our crosses as Jesus did through this gesture of abandonment.

          The third part of the service is the receiving of communion. We receive hosts consecrated at the Mass of Lord’s Supper. We receive the body that was broken on the cross for us.

          If you have never been to the Good Friday celebration, come and pray with us tomorrow afternoon at 3 p.m.

          May our Lady of Sorrows pray for us.

          Fr. Mark