Holy Thursday 2026 - "Do this in memory of me"

 “In the Sacred Triduum, the Church solemnly celebrates the greatest mysteries of our redemption, keeping by means of special celebrations the memorial of her lord, crucified, buried, and risen.

Pastors are given special instruction on their responsibilities during these holy days. The instruction in the Roman missal itself says, “Pastors should not fail to explain to the Christian faithful, as best they can, the meaning and order of the celebrations and to prepare them for active and fruitful participation”

This evening we celebrate what is called the Mass of the Lord’s Supper. As normal, this mass includes the liturgy of the word, from which we read from the sacred scriptures, and also the liturgy of the Eucharist, which contains special orations unique to this day, particularly about the Lord’s institution of the Holy Eucharist and the Ordained Priesthood at the Last Supper. Between the two normal parts of the mass is a special ritual of the Washing of the Feet. After the distribution of Holy Communion, the Eucharistic fragments will be processed through the Church back to the Tabernacle.

Tomorrow morning we will celebrate the Church’s official Morning Prayer at 9am tomorrow. Followed by the Stations of the Cross at noon and the Good Friday Passion Liturgy at 3pm. It is a particularly solemn liturgy, beginning with the priest laying prostrate in the bare sanctuary. After readings from Isaiah and the letter to the Hebrews, the entirety of St. John’s Passion will be proclaimed. Special solemn intercessions are offered before we have the beautiful once a year ritual of the veneration of the cross. Holy Communion which is confected this even will be distributed tomorrow, and we then depart in silence.

That’s the order of things for Holy Thursday and Good Friday. The Easter Vigil, the Mother of all Vigils, will be celebrated at 8:30pm, and that Liturgy, well, you just have to experience for yourself. 

That’s “what” we are doing, but why are we doing it?

“Do this in memory of me”. Three times we heard it already. Twice in St. Paul’s description of what the Lord said at the last supper in our second reading. And the third time in the Gospel, when the Lord says that we must remember what he has done for us, and do it for others. 

During the Triduum, we remember how Jesus washed feet. We remember how Jesus took bread and wine and transformed them into his body and blood and how he made the Apostles the first priests of the Church, so that Sacrament could be repeated for all ages. During the Triduum we remember how he took up the cross. We remember how he spoke words of forgiveness from the cross. We remember how he gave his blessed mother to be the mother of all disciples. We remember how he gave up his life as a sacrifice. 

Why do we do, what we do? Why do we remember what we remember? Because he told us to. We celebrate and remember because he told us to. We eat his flesh and drink his blood because he told us to. We keep watch in prayer because he told us to.

In the first reading, we heard how the Lord commanded the Jewish people through Moses to keep the memorial feast of Passover every year, as a way to remember and celebrate what God did for them in delivering from slavery in Egypt. And now we too remember our deliverance by God over these three Sacred Days, by gathering in prayer, reading the scriptures, singing hymns, processing, venerating, prostrating. 

Personally, these are my favorite days of the year. I love being a Catholic because of these Sacred Three days. And I love being a priest because of these Sacred Three Days. For as a priest, not only do I get to speak such beautiful prayers in the name of the Church, I get to witness your faith and devotion as you have your feet washed, and as you venerate the cross, sometimes with tears in your eyes, and to witness your joyful fire on the easter vigil, and the sense of renewal on Easter Sunday. 

Holy Thursday in particular is a special night for priests. For we trace back our priesthood back to the Last Supper on that first Holy Thursday. This is the origin of the priests’ mandate to serve the Church, to put the needs of the Church before our own, to lift up the worries of the Church and the struggles of the Church in prayer. Please offer special prayer for priests tonight, that your priests may continue to put God and the Church first in our life, always.

And as a beautiful reminder of how priests must always be men of humble service, I now call forward those who have been chosen for the washing of the feet. May they be a reminder for us all, of the need to allow the Lord to wash every part of our lives, our bodies, our minds, our souls, of the filth of sin, and to pour ourselves out in humble service to the Lord always, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

Holy Thursday 2024 - Three Indispensable Gifts

 Knowing that within hours his passion would soon begin, Jesus celebrated the Last Supper with his disciples.  Within hours, he would be sweating blood in the garden of gethsemane, and his disciples would abandon him. Within hours, he would be arrested, falsely accused, tortured and mocked, and before long he would be carrying his cross up the hill of Calvary where he would hang in anguish, and die.

Jesus, at his last supper knew he was about to die, and yet,  in the face of indescribable suffering, the Lord in his goodness bestowed upon His Church three precious gifts: the gift of the Eucharist, the Gift of the Priesthood, and the Commandment of Charity. 

These gifts were not arbitrary; they were given with profound purpose—that his mission would continue—the mission of the Church might succeed through the centuries. Together, these three gifts embody the Church's sacramental, hierarchical, and moral dimensions, guiding our mission to evangelize, sanctify, and serve in the name of Christ.

Let’s reflect upon these three gifts. First, the Eucharist. The Eucharist is the Lord’s gift of his body and blood—through which the Lord remains with his Church really and sacramentally until his glorious return. Through the Eucharist, Jesus transforms our altars into Calvary from which the blood of salvation flows throughout the whole earth.

The Eucharist is indispensable to the life of the Church. It would be easier for the earth to survive without the sun, than for the Church to survive without the Eucharist. It is indispensable to our identity, our mission, and our spiritual life. Without the Eucharist, the Church would lose its most profound connection to Christ, the source of our unity, and its sanctifying power in the world. On Holy Thursday, we thank God for the gift of his body and blood in the Eucharist.

Secondly, at the Last Supper, the Lord gave us the gift of the priesthood. And the sacramental priesthood is indispensable to the Catholic Church. 

Priests are the only ones who through sacramental orders are capable of consecrating bread and wine so that they may become the Body and Blood of Christ. Similarly, only priests can absolve sins in the name of Christ through the Sacrament of Confession. Priests have also been tasked by the Lord to ensure that the liturgy is celebrated properly and reverently, fostering the active participation of the faithful and enabling them to encounter God in the sacraments.

Priests, too, have the divine mandate to teach the faith. Through the preaching, teaching, and pastoral guidance of priests, the Lord Jesus helps his flock understand the Gospel and the Church's teachings, and to live out the Gospel in daily life. When priests are lax in their duties, the mission, identity, worship, and sanctification of the church suffers.

So on Holy Thursday, the we thank God for the gift of the priesthood, and we pray for our priests.

Thirdly, at the Last Supper, the Lord gave us the commandment of Charity. "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another" And of course, the commandment of Charity is indispensable for the Church. 

The commandment of charity encapsulates the essence of being a follower of Christ. It defines the Christian identity not by doctrines or rituals alone but by love—a love that is sacrificial, unconditional, and mirrors the love of Christ for humanity. This love is a visible mark of Christian discipleship, as Jesus Himself said, "By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another"

Charity, as commanded by Christ, is the foundation upon which Christian community is built. It fosters unity, mutual care, and the sharing of goods and burdens within the Church. This love is not merely an ideal but a lived reality that is witnessed in the acts of service, kindness, and generosity among the members of the Church.

The commandment of charity is indispensable to the Church's mission in the world. The witness of love is perhaps the most powerful evangelizing tool, as it reflects the very nature of God, who is Love (1 John 4:8). Through acts of love, especially towards the "least of these" (Matthew 25:40), the Church makes visible the Kingdom of God and draws people towards Christ.

Tthe Lord's commandment of charity is indispensable to the Catholic Church because it animates our life, directs our mission, shapes our community, and witnesses to the reality of God's love for the world. Without this commandment, the Church would lose her distinctive character as the community of love that reflects the very heart of the Gospel.

As we reflect on these gifts, we are called to respond to them and cherish them. To receive the Eucharist is to welcome Jesus into our hearts and to be transformed by His love. To honor the Priesthood is to recognize Christ's presence among us, guiding, sanctifying, and teaching through His ordained ministers. To live the commandment of love is to see Christ in every person and to serve Him in them, especially the least of our brothers and sisters.

Tonight, as we commemorate the Last Supper, let us deepen our appreciation for these divine gifts. Let us pray for the grace to live them out more fully, so that, united with Christ in His sacrifice, we may share in the glory of His Resurrection.

As the Lord rose from supper and began to wash the feet of his disciples as an example to follow, I now invite those who have been chosen to come forward for the washing of their feet. In this beautiful ritual ponder the presence of the Lord in the gifts he has left the Church, in the Eucharist, in the priesthood, and in the command to love one another for the glory of God and the salvation of souls. 

Holy Week 2024 - Tuesday - Humble Service in the Shadow of the Cross

 Throughout chapters 40 to 55 of the Book of the prophet Isaiah are found four songs or poems, called the Servant Songs. 

They describe how God will call forth a chosen servant to bring about his will of justice and salvation. Through his servant, God will bring about the reconciliation of all those scattered by sin, all those subject to injustice, evil, and death. And he will do so, not with the sword or violent rule, but through peace. 

And while God’s servant is described as a sharp sword and a polished arrow, in our first reading today, this imagery indicates that the servant is an effective instrument of God. As a "sharp-edged sword" God’s servant will cut through falsehood, injustice, and oppression with the truth and message of God. As a “polished arrow” he will remain on target in his mission without deviation. Yet, even though, he is faith and humble, strong and effective, God’s servant will also undergo rejection and suffering in his mission.

In the Gospel, on the eve of His greatest trial, we encounter Jesus in the upper room, embodying the very essence of Isaiah’s servant. Amidst the intimacy of the Last Supper, He knows the heartbreak of betrayal and the sting of denial lurking among His closest companions. And yet, in this moment, He chooses to serve, to wash the feet of His disciples—including Judas, the betrayer, and Peter, the denier. This act, typically reserved for the lowest servant, symbolizes the entirety of Jesus' mission: a call to radical humility and sacrificial love.\

In this juxtaposition, we find the essence of our calling. Jesus, our teacher, and master, demonstrates that true greatness in the kingdom of God is not found in domination or force, but in humble service and loving sacrifice. As we will hear at the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday, Jesus tells us, "If I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet"

In a world that glorifies power and self-interest, we are called to be servants. And this is a call to love not only in words but in actions—often in simple, unseen ways. It is a call to trust in God's mysterious plan, even when the path leads through suffering and humiliation. For, as Jesus shows us, the path of servitude is also the path to resurrection and life.

This Holy Week, we do well to reflect on the call to Christ-like trust and Christ-like service. Are there feet we are called to wash through acts of kindness, forgiveness, and service? Are there ways we have sought to assert our own will instead of submitting to God's?

Through his embrace of death and resurrection, the Lord Jesus has opened the Way to the Father. As his friends and followers, may we follow him, in humble service and acceptance of the Father’s will. May we, like the servant in Isaiah and like Jesus Himself, be lights in the darkness, leading others to the love and mercy of our Heavenly Father to the way that leads to life eternal, for the glory of God and the salvation of souls.

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That God may be pleased to increase faith and understanding in the catechumens and candidates who approach the sacraments of initiation in the coming Paschal Solemnity. 

That those in need may find assistance in the charity of faithful Christians and that peace and security may be firmly established in all places.

For strength to resist temptation, and the humility to sincerely repent of sin.

That through fasting and self-denial, we may be ever more conformed to Christ.

For all who have died, and for all the poor souls in purgatory, and for X. for whom this Mass is offered.

Mercifully hear, O Lord, the prayers of your Church and turn with compassion to the hearts that bow before you, that those you make sharers in your divine mystery may always benefit from your assistance.

Holy Thursday 2021 - As if today were your last

If you knew you had one day left to live, what would you do? If you knew that today was the last day of your earthly life, what would you do?

Some of us might try to fill the day with as many exhilarating activities as possible: sky diving, roller coasters, driving a racecar or a harley davidson at its maximum speed. Some of us might fill the day with fine wines and a sumptuous feast. Others might prefer to spend the day contemplatively on a beach, watching the sun rise and set. Some might tell family that you love them, listen to some beautiful music, make a video recording to offer a message to the future generation. I’d probably like to go to confession, knowing that I’d soon be appearing before the judgment seat of God. 

Well, what does the Lord Jesus do, knowing he has but a day to live? We just heard part of his final hours in the Gospel this evening. The Lord gathers with his friends for a final meal. Many of us would likely do the same. Far fewer of us, however, would likely tie a towel around our waist and begin to wash the dirt and grime off the feet of our friends.

There is something so humanely profound about an intimate meal with friends. We enjoy peace and company with those who understand us. There’s something wonderful about sharing happy or funny memories with friends around a dinner table. No doubt, this time the Lord spent with his friends filled him with warmth and strength as he prepared for his upcoming trial of the cross.

But the Lord didn’t share any old meal with his disciples. He celebrated the Passover meal, the great ritual meal in which the Jews recalled how God freed his people from Egyptian Slavery. This was a meal that looked to not only human accomplishments, but divine accomplishments, and also looked forward to the future—when God would usher in his eternal kingdom of peace.

The gathering with friends for the religious meal, of course, for Catholics, takes place every Sunday; for some of us, every day. Since I entered seminary back in 2001, I’ve tried to attend Mass or celebrate Mass every day. I know I speak for those who attend daily mass, when I say, that it’s the most important part of my day. Because of what Jesus did at the last supper, we are able to receive His Body and Blood every day, if we wish. 

And every time we gather for Mass, celebrate the Passover in its truest sense, recalling not only how God delivered the Jews from Egyptian slavery, but how God delivered all mankind from the slavery of sin through the suffering and death of Jesus on the Cross. And like the Jewish Passover, the Mass also looks forward in time, doesn’t it? As we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim your death, O Lord, until you come again. We look back to his saving death, and look forward to his future return.

And we do so, with our friends, friends in the truest sense, our brothers and sisters in Christ, made one through the blood of the Lamb. And we eat, not ordinary food, do we? Whenever we gather for Mass, we are sharing the Last Supper with Jesus who feeds his friends with his Flesh and Blood. He feeds us because he loves us, and he knows that we need this spiritual nourishment throughout all of life’s joys and challenges. In our greatest joys and greatest sorrows, we can share in this sacred meal with Him, and know that he speaks those words to us, “take and eat, take and drink”.

“O sacred banquet at which Christ is consumed, the memory of his Passion is recalled, our souls are filled with grace, and the pledge of future glory is given to us So says the ancient hymn, “O sacrum convivium” O sacred banquet.

We also recall tonight, how at the Last Supper, Jesus not only fed, he also washed. The teacher took the low role of the servant, and washed the feet of his friends, to teach them, to give them an example of an attitude that must mark the life of every Christian, whether you are a priest, bishop, pope, or lay person. We must wash feet. Christianity is a religion of foot washing. Christians are to put ourselves at the service of others in all places at all times. 

It is humiliating, yes, but it is the way of Christ. As St. Augustine writes: “as [man] was lost by imitating the pride of the deceiver, let him now, when found, imitate the humility of the Redeemer.” This is the humble act of the Christian, set against the pride of the world. Jesus washing the feet of his disciple is a symbolic expression of his entire life-- Jesus lowered himself to serve sinful mankind, clothing himself in our miserable flesh to wash away our sins through his sacrifice. 

And so we must serve. We must serve not only those who will repay us. Not only those who look like us and act like us. We must serve all because Jesus served all.

At this Sacred banquet Christ teaches and feeds and washes and prepares us for the sacred banquet of heaven which will last for all eternity.  When we live according to his teaching and example, in humble service of others, with heaven in mind, we can truly say we are living each day as it should.

As the Lord rose from supper and began to wash the feet of his disciples as an example to follow, I now invite those who have been chosen to come forward for the washing of their feet.  Please pray for your priests and pray for each other, that we may lay our hearts bare to Christ to be washed and fed, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

26th Sunday in OT 2020 - The Humble Self-Emptying of the Son of God

Our second reading is one of my favorite passages in the entire New Testament and one of the most precious texts in our Christian Tradition: the second chapter of St. Paul’s letter to the Philippians. It’s not exactly clear from the English translation, but this passage contains one of the earliest Christian hymns in existence: a song about Christ—his incarnation, death, and exaltation.

The hymn starts with the Son of God in heaven prior to his incarnation. For remember, the three persons of the Trinity existed from all ages. And so the hymn begins with explaining how God the Son was humble before the Father from all ages. And then it speaks of the Son’s incarnation—his self-emptying, taking on our frail humanity, taking the form of a slave: Jesus’ humble, obedient death on the cross. Then it speaks of the Son’s Exaltation: the son, who humbled himself unto death, is exalted by God the Father. So that his name—the name of Jesus— is made known throughout all the earth, at which every knee shall bend.

Scholars believe that Paul didn’t actually compose this hymn himself. Rather, scholars believe that the hymn predated Paul’s letter. At that’s pretty profound, since Paul’s letter to the Philippians was written about the year 55 AD, just about 20 years after the death and resurrection of Jesus. So, the earliest Christians, before even any of the Gospels were written, were already singing about how Jesus’ humility led to his exaltation. 

Humility appears, over and over, to be the Lord’s favorite virtue. The Son willingly humbles himself to the will of his father and takes human flesh to save us from our sins. He is born not in a palace, but in a humble stable. He lived in the obscure village of Nazareth. He had the menial job of a carpenter. During His public ministry, he did not lord the fact that he was God over his disciples, rather, he slept on the same desert ground as they, the Son of Man had nowhere to lay His head.  He took his meals with the outcasts, laid hands on the lepers.  And He allowed himself to be scourged, and mocked, and put to death as a criminal. Jesus’ humility is beyond comprehension.

Why does Paul include this profound early Christian hymn in his letter? Well, he explains why. In the Church is going to be built up and preserved from sinful division, if the Gospel mission is going to be successful, Christians, must possess the same attitude that is also in Christ Jesus. What attitude? Well, the attitude that is on display in the hymn. Humility. Practice, practice, practice, toward one another and toward non-believers, humility.

“Do nothing out of selfishness or out of vainglory; rather, humbly regard others as more important than yourselves.” Humbly regard others as more important than yourselves. Well, that’s a different way of going about life than our culture proposes, isn’t it? Treat the waitress as if she’s more important than you. Treat your neighbor as if he’s more important than you. Treat the janitor, the trashman, the homeless beggar, as if they are more important than you. Serve them. Wash their feet. Feed them. Visit the prisoner.

Humble service is to be the hallmark of the Christian, and that is in great contrast to the way of the world. Treat the slave the same as a king? Serve both as if you were serving Christ himself. Quite different from the athlete worship, the politician worship, the Hollywood actor worship, the wealthy elite worship, of our culture.

One of the famous lines of John Milton’s Paradise lost has Satan, the devil, standing before God and saying, “non serviam”, the latin for, “I will not serve”. Satan is like the son in the gospel today, who initially gives the impression that he will serve, but in the end, refuses.  Jesus, on the other hand, says I have come not to be served, but to serve, and to give my life as a ransom for many.  

Jesus’ humility is in striking contrast, to the pride of Lucifer.  Lucifer, created as an angel of great intellect and beauty desired to be higher in heaven, he wanted to take God’s place, he did grasp at godliness.  Satan wanted to Lord power over the other angels and over creation, so he led a rebellion against God and God’s faithful angels.  Of course there was really no contest, Satan was cast out of heaven, he fell like lightning.  But, in his malice, Satan tempted Adam and Even in the garden with that same sin.  He told them that they could not be happy unless they grasp at the fruit, they couldn’t be happy unless they grasp at godliness for themselves, instead of humbly submitting to God’s plan. And he tempts each one of us with that same sin: grasp at happiness, even if it means ignoring the commandments of God.

Rather, Jesus shows us another way. Instead of grasping at godliness from a tree, just humbly submits to the Divine Will on a tree. Happiness comes not in sitting in the seat of power, but taking the place of the humble servant. There can be no exaltation, no resurrection, no eternal life, without humility.

So, practically, how is God calling you to practice humility, to imitate the humility of Jesus? Well, that’s something you need to personally pray about, isn’t it? Each of us needs to allow the holy spirit to illuminate those parts of our life which are governed by pride. For pride is often a blind spot until someone points it out. And the Holy Spirit is ready to help us identify: where have I been prideful? In what relationships, in what interactions, in what pursuits am I refusing to serve God? Am I seeking to only serve myself, am I seeking to be served instead of serving?

These week, the Church celebrates the feast of one of the great saints of humility, St. Therese the Little Flower. Here is a young religious, born in obscurity, like Jesus, who dedicated her life to doing small things with great love. For sharing with us her spirituality of humble service, she is now honored as a doctor of the Church—meaning she has something to teach all Christians, of all places, of all times—and offers us an important remedy for our sins.

In her autobiography, St. Therese wrote, “I applied myself above all to practice quiet hidden little acts of virtue; thus I liked to fold the mantles forgotten by the Sisters, and sought a thousand opportunities of rendering them service.” She does something, a lot of somethings, with great love, knowing that they are pleasing to God. She knew she would likely not get any earthly credit for what she was doing. No one would like be able to trace the hidden acts of love back to her, and yet, she knew God saw them, and that is the way to holiness.

God smiles upon those small acts of love, which puts the needs of others before our own. And through those acts of charity, God can enflame our hearts with a burning love and heavenly joy that nothing else in the world can provide.

What a wonderful week to practice a thousand little acts of kindness. And if not a thousand. How about a dozen? Wouldn’t it be wonderful if you could return to mass next week, knowing that you did a dozen hidden acts of love, that only God could see. Try it.

As we come forward today to the receive the Eucharist, we recognize Jesus who has emptied himself—who has so humbled himself to become food that is gnawed and digested.  But he does so, that we may be strengthened in holiness, that we may emulate his own self-emptying and humble service to the Father. May we become what we receive, to quote St. Augustine: Eucharist, humbly broken and poured out for others, humbly offered to the Father, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

5th Week of Easter 2019 - Last School Mass - Perfect Joy

Just about a month ago, we all gathered for prayer, here in the church, on Holy Thursday. We spoke about the words and actions of Jesus at the Last Supper. Jesus knew he was about to die, and so the lessons he taught at the Last Supper would be pretty important, don’t you think.

He taught a lesson about humble service by washing the feet of his disciples. No act of service is too dirty, no act of service is too lowly or too difficult for the follower of Jesus. We must wash feet, as our Master washed feet.

Secondly, he taught a lesson about the Church. He wanted the Church to celebrate the Eucharist in his memory. Taking bread, taking wine, Jesus said, “DO THIS in memory of me.” And, when we do this, Jesus becomes really present: bread and wine are really changed into his body and blood.

Thirdly, Jesus taught by his words. And today’s Gospel is part of the speech he gave, his final farewell sermon. When someone knows they are about to die, you listen carefully to their last words because people aren’t going to waste their final breaths on insignificant statements.

And so what were the words Jesus just uttered, what was his most important lesson? Do you want to be happy? Do you want to have joy? Do you want to have eternal life? Follow my commandments. God wants us to have joy. Jesus says, God wants your joy to be complete, he wants your joy to be perfect.

And what is the key that unlocks the door of joy? Following Jesus’ commandments. Now, we might think, following commandments is hard, it’s difficult. It’s hard to pray every day, when you have the excitement of summer vacation. It’s hard to go to church every Sunday, when you have other things to do. It’s hard to love those who hurt you. It’s hard to be faithful in times of temptation. It’s hard to share your things with others: to give food to the hungry, drink to the thirsty.

As hard as these things might be, Jesus, in the final discourse of his life, says, do these things, and you will have joy.

Friends, I hope your summer is filled with joy. But I promise you, joy will not be discovered by playing video games all day. It will not be found in selfishness or envying the possessions of others. It will not be found on the internet or with a mobile phone in your hand. It will not be found in skipping church or the million and one other activities the world has to offer. I pray, teachers and students, that you will discover the perfect joy of friendship and true discipleship of Jesus Christ this summer, by practicing the faith daily in your words and actions, by daily prayer, daily acts of service,
love of God and neighbor for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

Holy Thursday 2019 - School Prayer Service - Lessons from the Last Supper

We’ve come now to the final hours of Lent. And in just a few hours the Church will gather for the Evening mass of the Lord’s Supper, where Jesus washed the feet of his disciples, where he turned bread and wine into his body and blood, where he made his apostles the first priests of the Church, and where Jesus prays, for his disciples.
Jesus,  at his last supper knew he was about to die.  Like a man on his deathbed, he will speak the words that he wants his disciples to remember, the lessons, he wants them to learn.  We hear and see at the Last Supper what is most important to him, what he values most—the priorities of his entire life.  And what are they?  I submit to you, they are three.

First of all, he is going to show us the priority of humility and loving service.  This was just proclaimed in the Gospel.  Consider what happens when Jesus washes feet. God, the creator of the universe, washed the dirty, smelly feet of the disciples who walked on those dusty, muddy, manure-ridden streets of Jerusalem.  God washes feet.

And Jesus says, “I have given you a model to follow”.  Jesus mandates that that we are to serve God and our fellow man in all humility.  Not shunning those dirty, hard, humiliating tasks, but performing them out of duty and love.   Here God shows us how we are to live. Not to trample your neighbor, not to hate your neighbor, but to kneel down before him in service.  So lesson number one: loving, humble service.

The second: At the Last Supper, Jesus gives us the eucharist. Jesus knows he is going to die, and so he turns bread and wine into his body and blood. And he makes his apostles priests, so that they can continue to make the Eucharist available for all of time.

Jesus doesn’t want us to simply remember what happened all those 2000 years ago. He wants to be with us now. This is why when we come into a Catholic church we bend the knee to the tabernacle. To acknowledge that we believe that Jesus is here now. And anytime we want. We can come to Church and know that Jesus is here. We can speak to him, we can kneel in his presence and pray to him. We can know that God loves us and cares for us and wants to be part of our lives. He wants to nourish our souls like food nourishes our bodies so that we can become the people he made us to be.

Finally, at the last supper Jesus prayed. Chapter 17 of St. John’s Gospel contains the longest prayer of Jesus to be recorded in Scripture. The prayer he prayed at the Last supper. In this prayer, he lifts his eyes to heaven, as he will hours later on the cross. And he prays: “Father, the hour has come: glorify your Son so that your Son may glorify you since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. And this is eternal life, that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent”. Jesus’ mission is to help us know God and believe in God, that we may have eternal life.

He then prays: Father, I am giving up my life, that they may be one, that they may be one. Humans have many reasons to be divided. Different color skin, different parents, our families are from different countries, we have different ideas about how the world should work. But Jesus prayed that we may be one. Unity through him, peace through him, eternal life through Him.

May we use the time we have been given to think about how God is calling each of us to grow in those three lessons of Jesus: how we can grow in humble service, how we can open our hearts to the ways God wishes to feed our souls, and how we are called to be one, to work together to bring about God’s kingdom…for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

Thursday - 4th Week of Easter 2017 - Dirty Jobs and Humble Service

The Gospel passage this morning is a continuation of the passage proclaimed at the Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday: these were the words Jesus spoke immediately after washing his disciples’ feet.

Our Easter Faith calls us to follow the Lord’s own example of humility and service.

“As I have done for you, you should also do” Washing the feet of the dinner guests, Jesus, did the job of a lowly servant, doing the dirtiest job there was at a supper. Imagine a CEO at a corporation going to each of their employee’s offices and emptying the garbage and scrubbing the bathrooms. The kids in the school often giggle when I tell them that we need to wash each other’s feet, just as Jesus did. This means doing the jobs for each other that no one wants to do, we need to go out of our way to humbly serve those in need.

One of the spiritual diseases of our modern day is that attitude of entitlement, acting as if others need to bow down and wash my feet because I’m so great.  Rather, the opposite is true, the medicine we need is to consider ourselves the slaves and servants of others.

Every time our egos start to inflate, we do well to remember that the King of Kings and Lord of Lords took the humblest job, the dirtiest job, and so should we.

There is no act of service that any of us is too good for. There is no act of service that is beneath us as Christians because Our God has taken the lowliest position. Just in case any of us his apostles missed this point, Jesus referred to Himself as “I AM” at the Last Supper, as we heard today.’

As we come forward to receive Holy Communion today, we also accept the responsibility it entails, that of becoming humble servants: to be a footwasher today. Through humble service we witness to the power of Christ’s love to transform lives and to make us worthy of the kingdom of heaven, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.

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We raise our prayers of petition to the throne of heaven:
For a genuine spirit of humble service among Christians.
For an increase in vocations to the priesthood and consecrated religious life.
For the poor, the hungry, the lonely.
For caregivers and all who comfort the sick.
For people in need of healing.
For our dead.
For our own needs, which we remember now in silence…
Heavenly, we praise and thank you for your goodness. Help us in our needs and hear our prayers, through Christ our Lord. Amen.