Ex 12:1-8, 11-14 / 1 Cor 11:23-26 / Jn 13:1-15
As the last supper drew to a close, Jesus had less than 24 hours to live. It was time to speak His last words to His friends. But what could He say, when the sadness was so great? So He simply acted. First, He gave them his own body and blood as food, so that as long as they lived, they’d never be without the comfort and strength of His presence. Then He washed their feet — a tender reminder of His undying affection and a quiet plea for them to do the same for each other. He fed them, He washed their feet, and then He went out to die.
This evening, in Catholic churches in every corner of the world, priests, bishops, and even the pope at St. Peter’s in Rome, are doing yet again what Jesus did on that first Holy Thursday, not out of nostalgia, but as a holy remembering — remembering that we’ll never be alone because He’ll always be near, and remembering that our vocation is to take care of one another as He always takes care of us.
Remember and give thanks!