HOLY THURSDAY

 LOVE LIVES ON IN HUMILITY, SANCTITY AND FIDELITY

(REFLECTION ON HOLY THURSDAY AS A CELEBRATION OF LOVE, IN WASHING OF THE FEET AND LAST SUPPER, IN INSTITUTION OF EUCHARIST AND PRIESTHOOD)

HOLY THURSDAY, 01 April 2021

1. Today's specialty is the famous Last Supper. In that dinner scene, there are two central events: One is, Washing the feet of the disciples, and the other is, the Last dinner with his disciples. And in these two action episodes, there are two essential aspects: Witness and Institution – Witness to love, humility and service; Institution of holy Eucharist and holy Priesthood.

2. Taken as such, these two actions may not be so unique and extraordinary, because there are certainly some goodhearted people who serve others, who wash them and take care of them. And also to share a meal with friends or followers, is nothing out of the way. BUT it is the identity of Jesus, the purpose and the effect of these two events that make these historical and singular.

3. It is the IDENTITY OF JESUS that makes the washing of his disciples’ feet, a unique event. Jesus is their Master and Lord. He is the Son of God and Savior. He is the King and the Ruler. But here the Master washes his disciples’ feet. The Lord kneels before the servants. The Son of God bends before sons of men. The Saviour touches and kisses the feet of the sinners to be saved. The king attends in service of his subjects. As a climax and peak of this, he shares a meal with them. His guests are not any dignitaries but simple people. And this is the farewell meal. What a contrast experience!

4. This is clearly a supreme act of WITNESS, a teaching in practice, an example in concrete. He has always been teaching and exhorting to be loving, to be humble and to serve. But now he shows them in action. This is a tangible and powerful example of love, humility and service. These two actions also become the occasions to emphasize the indispensable duty to love, to be humble and to serve, binding on every follower of Christ. These alone are the identity marks of a true disciple.

5. A true disciple cannot be otherwise: he or she cannot be hateful and unloving, living in indifference, violence or selfishness; cannot be arrogant, living in false dignity and self-glory; cannot domineer and subjugate others, depriving others their due dignity and rights. These are only counter-signs! One who lives resentfully, aggressively and selfishly, one who is puffed up and puts on airs, and who manipulates and lords over others, on the basis of affinities like caste, colour, creed, region, language, culture, rite, or money or power or position or intelligence or competence, are a disgrace to discipleship.

6. But these lessons and experience of love, humility and service, cannot be just limited only to those few moments, as it happens many times in our case: that a good number of our beautiful and inspiring experiences are so sadly limited only to some special occasions. Many unfortunately suffer from “short time memory”, “convenient forgetfulness”, and “selective practice”, especially with regard to God –and-good matters. 

7. But Jesus wants these triple principles to continue forever, even after his physical separation. They will enliven and transmit his presence and action, for all times. In other words, Experience, Continuation and perpetuation of love, humility and service – this in simple is the prime purpose of the last supper. The result of this purpose is effected in the institution of the holy Eucharist and the holy Priesthood.

8. Both the Eucharist and the Priesthood are nothing but the sacred sacraments which contain this experience, and continue and foster that presence and action of the Lord in love, humility and service. Every time Eucharist and priesthood are celebrated, the Lord is present and active and we are drawn to him in love, humility and service. Thus on one hand, we are drawn to the Lord and bound with him, and also draw grace in light and strength from him. On the other hand, we are also drawn to one another and bound with each other, in one community and humanity, and are also charged to live and witness love, humility and service. Eucharist and priesthood are thus so sacred and noble, because they are the containers and transmitters of the “personal” presence of the Lord in the sacramental celebration, and the “testified /concretized” presence of the Lord in witnessing a life of love, humility and service.

9. In this context, a series of self-checking questions should be posed to us quite sincerely: How is our attitude and devotion toward the holy Eucharist? Why we see often so much indifference, tepidity, callousness and lack of reverence toward the holy Eucharist? How often we are unaware that the Lord himself enters into us, abides in us, nourishes us, heals and strengthens us? How little we feel his effect? How often we go away from the Eucharist, even without the least change and betterment, and continue to live worse? How can we continue so weak, so unclean, so deviated, so disunited, so hateful, so proud, so despising others, even celebrating and receiving the Eucharistic Lord?

10. What is our attitude and approach towards the holy Priesthood and the effect of it in our lives, both concerning those who have this vocation and those who receive the fruits of their ministry? How painful it is that at times the sanctity and the dignity of this holy priesthood is so degraded! At times what a disrespect, criticism and harmful behavior toward priests? How easily we forget the holiness of their vocation, the immense sacrifices of them, and selfless services from them? How uncharitably and ungratefully we become one-sided and prejudiced and ignore their goodness? How often we fail to encourage, support our priests, while we demand so much from them? How often we put too high demands on them, while we don’t bother even a little about our own quality of life? How often we exaggerate their small defects, instead of being empathetic toward them?

11. A balanced and healthy perspective towards priesthood is very much needed: it is holy, noble and dignified, even though there can be imperfections. Personal defects should not reduce the sanctity of it, should not lower its dignity to something cheap, should not discourage and diminish the faith of the people. Experience of the Lord’s presence and his action in concrete lives blooming in love, humility and service – these should be the distinguishing marks of holy Eucharist and priesthood.