Homily for Holy Thursday | April 6

Last Friday when the big storm was predicted to come through we went ahead and canceled Stations and Soup. This was unusual*, but since we don’t have a way to contact everyone, I came over and waited just in case people didn’t know and came anyway. (BTW, this is why we want everyone to sign up for our FlockNote contact system, so if you haven’t, please do! Anyway,) I put the books out for stations and left the lights on in case people wanted to pray the stations privately.

 

I’m going to be honest, I am not a big fan of Stations of the Cross.  I don’t know why, but ever since becoming a priest I don’t like to do it.  Maybe because it is somewhat nebulous on “how to do it” or maybe it just feels like “one more thing to do” - I’m not sure.  But that’s fine, it isn’t about me and we still have them here.

 

Well, about 9 people came anyway despite the storm, some stayed and prayed, some left right away.  I prayed my required Evening Prayer, and when I was done with that, the last person was about halfway through, so I grabbed a book of the stations, I chose the “St. Faustina’s Way of the Cross” and began around the church, praying it and singing it outloud, but quietly.

 

In this version, the words of Jesus, spoken to Sr. Faustina, are weaved into the prayer.  We just got this version last year and people seem to really like it.  When I started praying, almost immediately the words of Jesus began to hit me hard, it was like He was speaking directly to me, and because I was praying it by myself, I could go back and read it again. 

 

Jesus was talking about “unjust accusations,” “sufferings,” “adversities,” and “patience and hardship undergone for [His] sake.” But the one that really got me was this: on the 9th Station, Jesus said, “My child, know that the greatest obstacles to holiness are discouragement and an exaggerated anxiety.”

 

This is how I have been feeling.  I have been through a lot over the past few months, “discouragement and an exaggerated anxiety” is a daily thing for me.

Later on that same station Jesus gave this encouragement, “Do not lose heart” and on the 10th Station Jesus said, “The Bride must resemble her betrothed.”  So it became clear to me that all of this that I am struggling with is uniting me to Jesus, it is making me resemble Him.

 

As we enter into this night, we think about the Last Supper and the Washing of the Feet.  We think about how Jesus could have been so discouraged by this impending betrayal from Judas, the impending abandonment by the disciples, the impending pain of His suffering and death, yet, what does He do?  

 

Jesus Christ shares a Last Supper with His disciples where He gives them His Body and Blood as a perpetual institution, a new covenant rite, a sacrament where He remains with us.  Jesus gives that to us tonight, to heal us, to strengthen us.  

 

And then He washes their feet.  At the 11th Station Jesus says, “My pupil, have great love for those who cause you suffering.  Do good to those who hate you.”  This was a supreme act of love, washing feet was something that only servants/ slaves would do, but Jesus says, “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.”

 

This is a model of love for us.  We are capable of loving those who hurt us, those who hate us, despite our feelings, this is an act of the will.  “Love is willing the best for someone,” I have often said that here, and it seems right to add to it, “Love is willing the best for someone with no regard to whether they deserve it or not.”

 

Tonight, I’d encourage you to enter deeply into Christ’s Passion and Death, maybe with the help of the stations of the Cross.  I kinda feel like the Stations truly begin at Garden of Gethsemane, in fact, during Seminary, on the last full day I was in Jerusalem, I prayed the actual Stations, and I started it at Gethsemane in the Garden.  So stay here and pray, watch with Jesus, and enter into this time with Him.  Surrender your sufferings, pray and forgive those who have hurt you, and try to let go of any discouragement and exaggerated anxiety in your life.

AFTER HOMILY

 

Tonight, I decided to skip the Foot Washing - I forgot to get any people with feet to wash, and I didn’t want to spend my time today scrambling to find some, and since it is optional anyway, I decided not to do it this year.

 

Also optional is a Presentation of the Oil.  Since I could do that last minute with just the help of my servers, I will do a simple oil presentation.  Hopefully next year we will do both the foot washing and the oil presentation.

 

These oils were blessed and consecrated by Bishop Jackels on Tuesday at the Chrism Mass.  By the way, this Mass is open to everyone, next year I’ll try to remember to put the date and time into the bulletin in case anyone would like to see it in person, but hopefully this presentation gives you a little idea of it.

 

The first oil is the Oil of the Sick.

When the oil was presented, the choir sang this verse: “From the fruit of olive branches comes the oil of healing here. Lord we ask you make it holy, touch the sick and calm their fear.”

 

(Give oil to server and extend hands in prayer)

And so we pray, “May the sick who are anointed with this oil experience the compassion of Christ and his saving love, in body and soul. Amen.” 

 

The second oil is the Oil of Catechumens.

When the oil was presented, the choir sang this verse: “Rich in kindness, rich in mercy, Lord from whom all blessings flow! By the sign of our salvation, Catechumens' faith may grow.”

 

(Give oil to server and extend hands in prayer)

And so we pray, “Through anointing with this oil may our catechumens who are preparing receive the saving waters of baptism be strengthened by Christ to resist the power of Satan and reject evil in all its forms. Amen.” 

The third oil is the Holy Chrism, which is a mixture of Olive Oil and Scented Balsam.

 

When the oil was presented, the choir sang this verse: “Baptized and confirmed with Chrism, we become a holy race. Members of a priestly people, sharers in your life and grace.”

 

When the balsam was poured into the oil by the bishop, the choir sang this verse: “Oil of splendor, oil of gladness, sign of God's transforming might!

Sweetest scent of God's own Spirit, pledge of future life and light!”

 

At that point the bishop breathes over the oil, which is the ancient symbol of the Holy Spirit, in order to bless it. After that all priests were invited extend their right hand with the intention to consecrate the Chrism Oil. 

 

After that the cantor sang, followed by all:

 

“Oil of gladness, holy oil, Fragrance of the Spirit's breath! All anointed by this oil, share the priesthood of the Lord. If by chrism we were sealed, we are not our own: Now we are the Lord's.”

 

(Give oil to server and extend hands in prayer)

And so we pray, “Through anointing with this perfumed Chrism, may children and adults, who are baptized and confirmed, and presbyters, who are ordained, experience the gracious gift of the Holy Spirit. Amen.”