This evening, we start the Easter Triduum, one continuous liturgy of three days in which we commemorate the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus during Holy Week. You will notice that there is no dismissal this evening, nor is there a welcome or a dismissal tomorrow at the service on Good Friday. Today’s mass of the Lord’s supper highlights the drama and tension of the final hours of Christ’s life and ministry here on earth. As Jesus gathers with his disciples, eats supper with them, and washes their feet, we know that the last moments of Christ’s journey are just ahead of him: his anguished prayer in the Garden of Gethsemane, Judas’ betrayal, and Christ’s arrest by the Roman authorities. But, knowing what lies ahead of him, Jesus does not withdraw. Instead, he continues to reach out to his disciples, loving them to the end as the Gospel tells us.
This evening’s mass intrinsically links the Eucharist with Christ’s act of service in the washing of his disciples’ feet. In the second reading from Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, we have one of the earliest references to the institution of the Eucharist from the Early Church. Whenever the disciples of Christ celebrated this meal, whenever they shared the gifts of bread and wine in his name, they experienced his presence in their midst.
In Ancient Israel, guests would come into a home from the dirty streets, with their feet being washed by the lowest ranking servant in the household in an act of humble service. In washing his disciples’ feet, Jesus makes a strong statement that would have been understood by all in Ancient Israel. Jesus is summarizing his life of service to the God the Father and to the people in this act of washing their feet, mirroring the humility and service he embraced throughout his life and ministry. Jesus’ washing of his disciples’ feet foreshadows his death on the cross, his final act of service to God and to all of humanity.
Jesus tells us: “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.” As a Eucharistic people, we receive Jesus into our lives in a special way in his body and blood, the greatest gift of self-giving that we could receive. As the risen Christ shared a meal with his disciples on the evening before his passion, he likewise serves us as well each time that we gather around his table for Mass. May the the example of Christ, the love of Christ, that we celebrate today on Holy Thursday, be the guiding light of our lives.
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