Second Reading: 1 Cor 11:23-26
Gospel: Jn 13:1-15
“Having loved his own who
were in the world, he loved them to the end” (Jn 13:1). This is the comment of
St. John in his gospel about Jesus at the last supper. Today we commemorate the
love of God for which Jesus gave an explicit manifestation at the last supper
in the upper room through the institution of the Most Holy Eucharist and the Holy
Order of Priesthood. These two sacraments manifest that God still loves the world.
These two sacraments are deeply united and dependent on each other as one
cannot exist without the other. Without Holy Eucharist, priestly office is
meaningless and useless. Similarly, without priesthood, Holy Eucharist is not
possible. On this day our Lord, while having the last supper or a last meal with
His disciples on this earth has established His eternal supper (Lord ’s Supper)
that has to be commemorated as often as possible in His memory until the end of
the world. The institution of Lord ’s Supper is meant to give concrete expression
to the love of God for every generation. Holy Eucharist is the extension of
Jesus’ earthly presence in the world in time in a veiled form. Today when we
celebrate and receive the Eucharist we are receiving the same Lord whom the Apostles
had received two thousand years ago. Jesus in the Eucharist is the same Jesus
who was yesterday, today and forever (Heb 13:8). Do we realize this greatness?
On this day we have the ceremony
of washing of the feet of the faithful by the priest. This ceremony reminds the
priest that His call is none other than to replicate Jesus in every way to the
sheep that is entrusted to his care (Jn 13:15). If the creator has no difficulty
in washing the feet of His disciples (the creatures) whom He had chosen then
the priest also should have no difficulty in washing the feet of his fellow creatures.
This ceremony recalls the fundamental value of priesthood which is a service. The
presence of Pope Francis in today’s world is itself a great manifestation of
the presence of Jesus. The Vicar of Christ being very much aware of the service
nature of priesthood is uprooting all that barricades the clergy from being a
man of service. Synodality and exclusion of the clergy from administrative offices
are another step to bring back the original nature of priesthood. On this day
let us pray for our priest that they may be men of service who are willing to
lay down their life for their sheep.
Mother Mectilde says that what
greater mark of love could he [Jesus] give them [disciples or the church] than
to institute the Holy Eucharist? In instituting the Eucharist the Lord has
humbled Himself to be at the mercy of His creature. The fate of the creator is
decided by the creature! The priest is given an authority to bring Jesus to this
world. The eternal God is held in the hands of a priest. He who is all powerful
has made Himself so dependent that He is in the power of His creature. He is taken
by the priest to wherever the priest decides. The Almighty God has become
vulnerable in the Eucharist. We become fearful to be at the hands of anyone. We
pretend to disclose our true self. But what our Lord has done in the institution
of the Eucharist is that He has become defenceless in the hands of the priest
and the people and vulnerable in the tabernacles that hardly receives any
adorers. Jesus has said that it is the sick who needs the physician (Mt 9:12). Judas
who was sick and allowed the devil to entrap Him goes out from the upper room
without the Eucharist. Had we waited sometime and received the Eucharist surely
he should have give up the plan of betraying Jesus. In the upper room we see
how God becomes so intimate with His disciples and now with each one of us
through the Eucharist. On the other side, Judas Iscariot becomes intimate with
the Lord through the hug and kiss which is only a pretention. This is why Jesus
says, you cannot do anything without me (Jn 15:5). Judas’ intimate scene with
Jesus without the Lord in his heart has betrayed the Lord to the predators.
Peter and other disciples with the Lord in their heart run away from the Lord
for time being but never lost forever. Therefore, may this celebration of Lord’s
Supper make us realize the importance of communicating our Lord as often as
possible in the Eucharist. He loved us not that we are good but by loving us He
is giving Himself to us so that we become good. May Christ live in us (Gal 2:20).
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