Thoughts & Homilies

Holy Thursday, 2002 -
March 28, 2002

In our Catholic tradition on this day in each community,
there can be only one celebration
of this Holy Thursday Mass of the Lord's Supper.

This is such a unique and blessed liturgy. A liturgy that sums up so much about our Lord's love for us, so much about who we are.
It has always amazed me that this isn't a holy day of obligation.
I like to think that this holy day was so central to the life of the church, throughout the centuries that it wasn't necessary to oblige people to attend, rather they wouldn't think of missing it.
How's that for optimism?

A few weeks into a new school year a mother asked her young son what he thought of the first grade.
With enthusiasm, he replied,
"I love school. It's great!", then, after a brief hesitation he added, "Well, it's great except for one thing…
I don't really like it when Mrs. Decker tries to teach us stuff."
Well, that's the problem, isn't it?
We've all been students or are students,
and learning can be hard.
It isn't all fun and games.
It can be frustrating for both the teacher and the student.

Jesus' disciples would certainly agree with that first grader.
They didn't like it much when he tried to teach them "stuff".

Imagine Jesus' frustration as he tried to teach them how to live a kingdom lifestyle here on earth.

They wanted an earthly kingdom of might and power.
He taught them about a heavenly kingdom of love and grace.

They wanted quick results.
Jesus taught them patience and perseverance.

The disciples wanted easy answers.
Jesus challenged them to ask different questions.

Our Gospel tonight begins by telling us,
"Jesus realized his hour had come."
He knew it was time to pass from this world to the Father.
He knew that his work in this world
would have to be done by his disciples.
He takes the opportunity to teach them one last valuable lesson.
He does something that none of them expected him to do.
He wrapped a towel around his waist
and began to wash their feet.
In those days this was a task not only done by a servant,
it was the task of the lowest of servants.
The servant or slave at the bottom of the totem pole was the one expected to get on their knees with the towel and basin.
One spiritual writer comments that in this particular case the one with the towel and basin was the King of the Universe.
Hands that had shaped the stars would now wash away filth.
Fingers that formed mountains would now massage toes.
And the one before whom all nations will one day kneel,
now kneels before his disciples.

Hours before his own death, Jesus' concern is just this:
He wants his disciples to know how much he loves them.
More than removing dirt, Jesus was removing doubt.
That is a profound statement .
He wasn't just removing dirt,
he was removing all doubt about how much he loved them.
This moment, this act of washing his disciple's feet is the key to understanding Jesus, his words, his message, his life.
He was saying if you don't understand this,
you will never understand what I am about .
You will never grasp what it means to by my disciple.
This is awesome to me.
For at the precise moment he did this,
he knew that within hours, they would desert him.
He knew Peter would deny knowing him.
He knew Judas would betray him for a few coins.
At this moment Jesus was giving them the most forceful, unmistakable example of agape love,
unconditional, undeserved, sacrificial, no strings attached love.

Notice that the Gospel tonight doesn't speak of the Eucharist.
We won't find the words;
"This is my body." "This is my blood." in this Gospel.
Here these words are acted out in the ritual of humble service,
washing feet.

We will find, however, the equivalent of the words;
"Do this in memory of me."
Jesus says; "As I have done, so you must do."

We were given many great gifts on that first Holy Thursday.
We were given the Eucharist,
the priesthood,
and we were also given the meaning of them both.

The Eucharist can never be
just something for me personally and privately.
It can never be just my spiritual nourishment
and something to adore.
The Eucharist and the priesthood are about service,
God giving us the signs, the sacraments,
by which we will not only know he is very close,
very present,
but also the sign that he loves us
and expects us to love one another.
To those of you who are about to be baptized Saturday night and receive the Eucharist for the first time,
as well as you who have received him your whole life I say:
When we eat his body and drink his blood,
we partake in a common mission to love and serve one another.

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