Homily for Holy Thursday

 THE SACRED PASHCAL TRIDUUM
“Since Christ accomplished his work of human redemption and of the perfect glorification of GOD principally through his Pascal Mystery, in which by dying he has destroyed our death, and by his rising restored our life, the sacred Pascal Triduum of the Passion and Resurrection of the Lord shines forth as the high point of the entire liturgical year... The Paschal Triduum of the Passion and Resurrection of the Lord begins with the evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper.”     (Ordo p.103)
On this solemn day the Church teaches us that our Lord instituted the Sacraments of Holy Order and the Eucharist, his Body and Blood, Holy Communion at the the Last Supper. During these events, our Lord performed the humble service of washing the feet of his disciples. This action will be re-enacted shortly. On Tuesday, we gathered at St. Raphael Cathedral to mark this day. I would like to reflect briefly on the Body and Blood of Christ and the washing of the feet. The Lord’s Supper has been prefigured in the Old Testament. The Israelites were commanded by the Lord, each family to kill a lamb without blemish, spray the blood on the doorposts as a memorial feast, it is the Passover of the Lord. The Psalmist said, “The cup of Salvation I will take up…Our Blessing cup is a Communion with the Blood of Christ.”
St. Paul declared, “I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you: that the Lord Jesus, on the night…took bread…and said ‘This is my body that is for you.’ He did the same saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my Blood.’” Jesus from his divine and abundant love gave us his Body and Blood as spiritual food for our journey. We believe after prayer of consecration, through the power of the Holy Spirit, the bread and wine are transformed into the true body and Blood of Christ. As he said in the gospel of John 6:1ff, anyone who eats his body and drink his blood shall never die but live forever. As we share in his divine supper let it transform us into what we eat.
While at table, Jesus got up, took a towel and began to wash the feet of his disciples and dry them. An act of humble service. Jesus said by doing this, he has given us a model to follow. Jesus wants us to embrace and practice the virtue of humility. By this action, Jesus has destroyed the vice of pride. He wants us to follow his example by serving others in true love and humility. We are to wash the feet of each other. When we feed the hungry, when we give water to the thirsty, clothe the naked, provide home to the homeless or welcome strangers, care for the sick, visit those in prison and carry out any other kind of acts of charity we are indeed washing their feet (Matt 25:31-36).