Holy Thursday
Reading the Gospel according to St. John suggests that Jesus's public activity lasted as long as three years. In contrast, the other evangelists conclude their accounts within a one-year period. John details these three years across twenty-one chapters of his Gospel.
Interestingly, the author devoted as many as five chapters to a detailed description of the Last Supper (see John 13-17). However, it is even more noteworthy that within these five chapters, there is no narrative in the Gospel of John regarding Jesus taking the bread and the cup of wine and offering them to the disciples, stating that they were His Body and Blood.
On the other hand, at the very beginning of the thirteenth chapter, John describes what the other evangelists did not: the washing of feet. In Jewish tradition, at the beginning of the Passover feast (Seder), the sons approach the father of the family to wash his hands as a sign of respect and reverence, with which he is about to bless the Seder with unleavened bread and four cups of wine. Jesus used this sign but changed its meaning.
Here, He-the head of the gathered community–instead of waiting for signs of due respect and reverence from His disciples, stripped off His garments, stood before them girded like a slave, and approached to wash not their hands, but their feet. In this way, He provided them with an evocative image and a clear example of how they should treat one another, by the commandment of love that He gave them. But not only that. By washing the feet of the disciples, he also revealed the most profound meaning of the Eucharist. Perhaps this is why this description of the washing of feet somehow "replaces" the account of the institution of the sacrament in John's text. In this passage, God humbles Himself before humanity, surrendering to our "slavery. " He lowers Himself to share in human suffering. The one who rightly deserves the service of all creation chooses instead to serve us. He, before whom "every knee bows," kneels to express His love and kindness toward us. The One who humbled Himself during the Incarnation by becoming human now takes an additional step, He transforms into inanimate matter. All this is done "only" to be with us and for us.
Therefore, from the beginning, the Church attached great importance to the washing of feet on Holy Thursday. In the early Church, it even happened that on Holy Thursday, the Eucharist was not celebrated; only this rite called "Mandatum" (i.e., "Commandment") was performed.
Today is also an important day for us priests. After all, today, at the same Last Supper, Jesus instituted the sacrament of the priesthood. "Do this in remembrance of me." It is no accident that Jesus instituted the Eucharist and the Priesthood at the same time. It is fair to say that the priesthood was established primarily for the Eucharist. Where there is no priest, there is no Eucharist - there is neither Holy Mass nor Blessed Sacrament. In these matters, like no other, no one can replace a priest. The priesthood is a gift, just like the Eucharist. It is God's gift to man; like the Eucharist, it is a mystery. It is probably a secret and must remain so; God calls for a special closeness with Him. The secret is also the great love and trust of God, who, in the hands of priests, weak and sinful people like everyone else, has placed such great and sacred matters.
And how do people see the priest today? I think, but this is only my personal opinion - it is good that people talk about priests, about us. It would not be good if they said nothing. And the fact that they talk testifies that people care about priests.
Today, I dedicate a poem by Michel Quoist, a French priest, to you, my Sisters and Brothers.
“Lord Jesus, from the Upper Room, I would like to confess to you today that it is not easy to be Your priest today:
- It's hard to be a priest when you get the impression that the wind is still blowing in my eyes
- It's hard to be a priest when you want to do good, serve, and help, and there are those who say that they are only for themselves, for convenience ...
- It's hard to be a priest when many would like me to change your Gospel
- It's hard to be a priest when young and old tell me that hearing about you is boring!
- It's hard to be a priest when they say that priests do nothing, and I often don't have time for myself, but there are also my brothers who lost their health, and they met with ingratitude
- It's hard when you want to be a friend, and they treat you as an enemy
- It's hard when they attack your Church and your priesthood and talk about its sins and forget about their own sins
- It's hard to be a priest when they smile at me and I feel dislike in their hearts
- It's hard to hear the sins of others and be aware of your own
- It's hard to say "This is my body" when my body is so weak, though my spirit is eager
My dear, says Christ, but did I ever tell you that it would be easy, easy, and peaceful? Did I rather not tell you: "Beware of people for they will hand you over to courts and scourge you in their synagogues, and you will be led before governors and kings for my sake as a witness before them and pagans. You will be hated by all because of my name, but whoever endures to the end will be saved." If they persecuted me, they will persecute you. And whether my teaching pleased everyone or not, I was not remorseful for the Pharisees. Were they not looking for the opportunity to catch me in a word, defame me, undermine my authority, and in the end, they even used a lie to destroy me?
Have you ever read the Letter to the Hebrews in which I say: "Every high priest is taken from among men and made their representative before God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. He is able to deal patiently with the ignorant and erring, for he himself is beset by weakness and so, for this reason, must make sin offerings for himself as well as for the people."
Understand! If you were perfect, you couldn't sympathize with others, which I sent you to. You couldn't accompany them, and maybe pride would close your way to heaven. And I know you better than you do!
Yes, Lord, I feel stupid now that on this special day, Holy Thursday, I started complaining, but I am happy that you chose me:
- that sometimes I am so close to You that I am in You
- I am happy when I go with you to the sick and see their joy, emotion, and sometimes even tears
- I am happy that I am often a sign of opposition in the world
- I am happy that sometimes I can comfort someone, wipe away tears, and inspire hope
- I am happy that there are so many who pray for me, for health, strength, and perseverance.”
Thank you, Lord, that you give me a desire for holiness, love, and hope, that you let me celebrate your sacraments and belong only to you. Lord, and although I don't understand you to the end, I want to give you MY YES again in this special evening!
Every priest is only a human, weak and sinful - let us remember that, like everyone else, priests need prayer. Do you pray for priests: for strength, for blessing, for their holiness, for perseverance in the grace of a priestly vocation?
fr. George