Holy Thursday - Mass of the Lord's Supper

Hi All:

I know, I'm terrible at posting to this. Thankfully, John is much better and diligent about it or the blog would be blank. My apologies.

I had the opportunity to deacon and preach at Saints Peter and Paul Cathedral in Indianapolis with the Archbishop last night. It was a beautiful service. I was most touched by the humble nature of service that the Archbishop portrayed as he washed the feet of twelve representatives from the Cathedral's parish. He poured the water over their feet, dried them, and then kissed each one. It was a great witness to the type of priesthood I soon hope to join, one of service to others.

Below is my homily from the mass.

Looking up around the table full of his disciples, his beloved, his hand-picked followers and soon to be messengers to the world, the first priests, Jesus got up, removed his outer garment, and wrapped himself in a towel. Methodically, He worked his way around the table. Moving his basin and pitcher from disciple to disciple, He gently and tenderly took each one’s feet in his sacred hands, caressed them, and bathed them with water. Kneeling there, He lovingly looked into each of their eyes and then washed their feet. These disciples, whom Jesus had called to himself and with whom he had traveled, taught, and taken care of, these men Jesus called friends. And He washed the feet of all 12.

Progressing around that table, Jesus reached Judas. Their eyes met. They could read each other. They could see into each other’s soul. Judas could recall in an instant the past three years: the numerous miracles, the healing of the lame, blind, and mute, the driving out of demons, the walking on water, the calming of a storm with a word, the crowds of followers that seemed constantly to be gathering around to listen to Jesus’ teachings, the multiplication of loaves and fish to feed thousands, the quiet nights around campfires when it was just Jesus and the disciples, the exhilaration of being one of the selected twelve, the feelings of pride and triumph when he had entered Jerusalem with Jesus just a few days before to the cheers of ‘Hosanna in the highest; Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.’ Judas could see it all right there. He knew who Jesus was; and yet, he could not accept it. It showed in his eyes. Yet, he allowed Jesus to serve him. Judas sat there patiently as the holy Passover meal, what was in fact Jesus’ Last Supper with his beloved twelve, took place, all the while harboring wickedness and evil in his heart. He had the nerve to ask Jesus, “Is it I, Lord?” He allowed those hands which broke the bread of the New Covenant, which would soon bear the marks of nails that Judas would help place, to cleanse the grime from his feet. He looked down on Jesus, not just from his seated position, but from his sinful position of pride. Judas allowed the ‘Lord of all’ to serve him by cleansing his feet.

In our own ways, we are all Judas. Have we not seen the wonders of God in our own lives?!? We have been graced with life… with food, water, and shelter… with family and friends. All we have, all we are, all is gift. Daily, we experience this love, these blessings, the gifts God pours out upon us packed down and flowing over. With our own eyes, we have seen the miracles Jesus has worked in our lives. And yet… singly and as a society, we betray our neighbor. We cheat God. We turn loved ones into enemies. We fight. We argue. We deceive. We take more than we need. We live beyond our means. We allow fear and aggression to flow freely. We place ourselves, our opinions, our wicked desires, above the teachings of love and service to God. We fall short of the lives to which we know we are called, as we continue in sin. Like Judas, we have experienced Christ, the Messiah. We even have the added benefit of knowing ‘how the story ended.’ We know that Jesus rose on the third day and is alive. Yet, we still – one and all – cut our own deals, turn our backs, and sneak around in the shadows. All too often, we are Judas expecting to have our feet washed, expecting to be served, arrogant and prideful.

The devil having already induced Judas to betray the Lord, Jesus also knew what Judas was about. The trajectory was set, and Jesus knew the actions Judas had set in motion. He knew about the 30 pieces of silver weighing Judas down like a mill-stone. He knew of the ironic kiss of peace that would lead to betrayal. Jesus knew. And knowing, He thoughtfully extended his hands and took up Judas’ feet to wash and bathe them. One can imagine that Jesus might have taken just a bit more care with those feet that had walked to the Sanhedrin to cut a deal. One can imagine, perhaps, a tear or two being mixed in with the water that washed the dirt and filth of the dusty Jerusalem streets off those feet. Jesus looked his friend in the eye knowing full-well the imminent doom to be perpetrated, and he served him. Jesus, the Lord, the King, the true Messiah that Judas was indeed looking for in his own ignorant way, attended to Judas’ needs in humble submission, just as he had served every other sinner around that table. Jesus looked with love, concern, and I suspect a bit of disappointment at Judas, but Jesus treated him as one of the twelve. ‘For, Jesus loved his own in the world, and He loved them to the end,’ even when, his own, included the one, who was to be his betrayer, his enemy, the traitor. Jesus, kneeling there on that upper-room floor, poured water over Judas’ feet.

Jesus said, “ I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do.” This is the wonder of that night in the upper room. Jesus not only gave us the model of our worship, the gathering together for word and table, for the Gospel and the Blessed Sacrament, the institution of the Eucharist. Jesus not only gave us the witness to serve others less fortunate than ourselves. No, the model given here shows that we must allow the love of God and neighbor to overwhelm us, to consume us, to be our all, even to the point of loving, caring for, and sacrificing for the one who wills us the most harm, our most fervent enemy, that person who cannot stand or tolerate us with their whole beings or vice versa. That is the model, the message, the mission we have this evening, for the whole of our lives. Jesus tells Peter, “What I am doing, you do not understand now, but you will understand later.” It is only when we can wash the feet of even our worst foe in wholehearted authentic love that we too will begin to understand what Jesus has done for us.

I hope everyone has had a prayerful Lent, a holy 'Holy Week', and a blessed Easter.

Pax Christi,
jmg