Maunty Thursday- Living humble self-emptying love of Jesus

Pope Francis Washes the feet of inmates

April 2, ‘15   Maunty Thursday Homily:  Fr.Francis Chirackal CMI

Ex. 12:1-8,11-14;  1Cor.11:23-26; ,  Jn. 13:1-15

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A missionary once went to a desolate and abandoned region of the Republic of Mexico called "El Mezquital." A small band of natives gathered timidly and in gentle surprise to see the man in the brown robe, which was familiar to them long back. One finally asked: "Padre­cito, are you going to give us the Mass?" The missionary in turn asked them if they knew what the Mass was. No, they said, we do not understand the words, nor do we know the names of the things on the table. "All we know is that in the Mass God forgives us our sins, and he speaks to us, and we give ourselves to him, and he gives himself to us. It is very beautiful. For as long as we can remember no one has given us the Mass for last many years. You did come to give us the Mass, did you not?" "Of course, of course," the missionary answered, "that is exactly why I came." 

Today is the feast of the Holy Eucharist. Jesus established the sacrament of Holy Eucharist at Last supper, offering His own body and blood for our life. It is with the institution of the Eucharist that the Lord established ‘priesthood’ of the New Testament. The Mass is not a static celebration, but a very dynamic one. It is not a meal that we simply come to look at or simply consume, but the one that we are invited to share in with love and devotion. The Mass is not something we come to "watch" or "hear", but it is something the whole assembled community does together.

So often, when we think of the words of Jesus at the Last Supper we think of "This is my body" and "This is my blood." But we must not forget the words that follow because they help us understand what we are to "do." It is not just "body," but body broken and given; a body that is given in love for us. And it is not just "blood," but it is blood that is poured out and shed in forgiveness of our sins.    

When we gather to celebrate, we are invited and challenged to do what Jesus did. We are invited to give ourselves in love and ser­vice to one another. Because, Jesus said, "What I just did was to give you an example: As I have done, so you must do."

Today we also commemorate the great example of Jesus who washed the feet of His twelve Apostles. Washing of the feet brings us back to reality, to the very real world. Foot washing expresses, what living a life of self emptying love looks like, in imitation of the Lord, who emptied Himself for us. It has been traditionally referred to as the Command. It is an invitation to become a man or woman poured out for others. A Christian who lives the love of Charity, the Love of Jesus Christ, makes Jesus Christ real. In so doing, the Incarnation continues.

When Jesus had washed their feet and put his garments back on and reclined at table he said, "You call me 'teacher' and 'master,' and rightly so, for indeed I am. 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, so that as I have done for you, you should also do." (St John, Chapter 13)

Our faith and love are meant to be active and real. When we serve, we make the mystery of self giving Love real by washing feet. The washing of the feet is a very down-to-earth example of humble service with self-emptying love. What  does this mean today in our daily life. It means, doing simple things done out of love, like working long hours so that our children may have an education and food on the table; remaining spouses committed and faithful to each other, understanding the needs of the elderly in our own homes or outside and helping them; Giving of our precious time to visit someone in the hospital.  Making even the little unnoticed sacrifices to make another happy and so on. Everyday we come across many opportunities for self-emptying love and service and meet people who practice it. For example, spouses who love and honor each other in bad times as well as good; Parents who attend to difficult or unruly children or adolescents; children who attend to elderly parents who are feeble or demented; people who serve the aged, the hungry, the homeless, the lonely; people who visit prisons and give hope and consolation to the people behind the bar, people who are available to the needs of others, people who serve without selfish motives and hypocrisy. Our faith and love are meant to be active and real. When we serve, we make the mystery of self giving Love real by washing feet.

These Holy Days seek nothing less than to inspire us; to remind us who we are as children of God and members of the Church; and most profoundly to remind us through dramatic moments of ritual and sacrament and prayer of one powerful reality – that Jesus Christ is real.  We do not merely gather here today to tell a very old story. We gather here tonight to meet a very real person – our Savior Jesus Christ, who – although He walked the earth some 2,000 years ago – is still living and active and in our midst today.

My brothers and sisters, the profound question that God places in your heart tonight is this: Do you believe that Jesus is real? Do you believe that He is present in our midst?  If the answer is “yes” then we’ve got to be like the early Christians and that belief has got to be translated through the example of our lives into so much more than words – it must be lived in action; in service. Our Holy Father Pope Francis is leading us with his own examples of following Jesus in real life with humble service.

Let us be filled once again with the Real and Abiding Presence of Christ here tonight and let us become his Real and Abiding Presence in our world.  Let us become like Him, washers of feet. May this Holy week observance and Eucharist enable us to experience God’s love and serve the needy with selfless and humble hearts in our real lives. God bless you!!