Wednesday, April 08, 2009
HOLY THURSDAY
HOLY THURSDAY
EXODUS 12:1-8, 11-14
The LORD said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, "This month
shall stand at the head of your calendar; you shall reckon it the
first month of the year. Tell the whole community of Israel: On the
tenth of this month every one of your families must procure for itself
a lamb, one apiece for each household. If a family is too small for a
whole lamb, it shall join the nearest household in procuring one and
shall share in the lamb in proportion to the number of persons who
partake of it. The lamb must be a year-old male and without blemish.
You may take it from either the sheep or the goats. You shall keep it
until the fourteenth day of this month, and then, with the whole
assembly of Israel present, it shall be slaughtered during the evening
twilight. They shall take some of its blood and apply it to the two
doorposts and the lintel of every house in which they partake of the
lamb. That same night they shall eat its roasted flesh with unleavened
bread and bitter herbs. "This is how you are to eat it: with your
loins girt, sandals on your feet and your staff in hand, you shall eat
like those who are in flight. It is the Passover of the LORD. For on
this same night I will go through Egypt, striking down every firstborn
of the land, both man and beast, and executing judgment on all the
gods of Egypt--I, the LORD! But the blood will mark the houses where
you are. Seeing the blood, I will pass over you; thus, when I strike
the land of Egypt, no destructive blow will come upon you. "This day
shall be a memorial feast for you, which all your generations shall
celebrate with pilgrimage to the LORD, as a perpetual institution."
1 CORINTHIANS 11:23-26
Brothers and sisters: I received from the Lord what I also handed on
to you, that the Lord Jesus, on the night he was handed over, took
bread, and, after he had given thanks, broke it and said, "This is my
body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me." In the same way
also the cup, after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in
my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me."
For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the
death of the Lord until he comes.
JOHN 13:1-15
Before the feast of Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to
pass from this world to the Father. He loved his own in the world and
he loved them to the end. The devil had already induced Judas, son of
Simon the Iscariot, to hand him over. So, during supper, fully aware
that the Father had put everything into his power and that he had come
from God and was returning to God, he rose from supper and took off
his outer garments. He took a towel and tied it around his waist. Then
he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and
dry them with the towel around his waist. He came to Simon Peter, who
said to him, "Master, are you going to wash my feet?" Jesus answered
and said to him, "What I am doing, you do not understand now, but you
will understand later." Peter said to him, "You will never wash my
feet." Jesus answered him, "Unless I wash you, you will have no
inheritance with me." Simon Peter said to him, "Master, then not only
my feet, but my hands and head as well." Jesus said to him, "Whoever
has bathed has no need except to have his feet washed, for he is clean
all over; so you are clean, but not all." For he knew who would betray
him; for this reason, he said, "Not all of you are clean." So when he
had washed their feet and put his garments back on and reclined at
table again, he said to them, "Do you realize what I have done for
you? 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."
REFLECTION
Perhaps it comes to many as a shock when they watch TV on Holy
Thursday and see the Pope kneeling in front of a man, washing his feet
and even kissing it. Then all bishops and priests would do the same,
reenacting what Jesus did during the Last Supper.
Jesus was on his knees, doing the most humiliating job of a slave for
his apostles who would desert him that very night. No wonder Peter is
horrified and protests vehemently. Could there be a stronger image
which would demonstrate what real love is?
The scene of Jesus washing the feet of his disciples leads to the next
scene, the institution of the Eucharist. Jesus gives himself totally
to his friends. And he does this not only once during the Last Supper,
not only to his chosen apostles but everywhere and every time that his
followers would come together in his name and do this in memory of
him.
We are living in a competitive society. Ladder-climbing and being
number one are ideals so strong that humble service is not very much
appreciated. It is not the role of the servant but that of the boss
who is the powerful image that demonstrates the behavior and actions
of many. But a disciple of Jesus cannot imitate this image of a boss.
Jesus said clearly, "I have given you an example that you should do as
I have done to you."
We are washed by Jesus in baptism. We are served by him every day. We
are fed by him. We are over whelmed by his love. How can we ignore his
command to follow his example? It was given during a Passover meal.
Jesus invites us to undertake our own personal Passover from
selfishness to sharing, from domineering to serving, from pride to
humility, from envy and jealousy to peace and inner joy, from fighting
for being number one to letting God be number one in our lives.
As Jesus transformed bread and wine into his body and blood, he wants
us to transform ourselves into something different, something better,
into images of his loving person who make his love and humble service
visible in our society.
A Passover is a painful experience. Christ knows this only too well.
But he supports us in this painful process by nourishing us with
himself. Through intimate communion with him, we will be able to do
for others what he has done for us.
Today, let us thank the Lord for his example. Let us thank him for
giving himself to us and to all our brothers and sisters. Too often we
have received him unworthily and forgotten that receiving him includes
the task of sharing him with others. May this memorial of his humble
love change us to be messengers of love in our homes, in our
communities, in the places where we live and work.
PRAYER REQUESTS
We pray …
… for a deep and profound respect for life, especially for the
unborn.
… for the healing and strength of:
- Sophia Gonzalez
- Ester Marcelo
- Lisa
- Christy Chin
- Eligia Fernando
- Marlyn Tadeo
… for the speedy recovery of:
- Gaudencio
- Cora C.
… for the safety of Johnson Cuiting
… for the guidance of the Gurango and Magcamit families
… for all the prayer intentions in the MTQ Dailyprayer Diary.
- Birthday: Fr. J. Cesar R. Marin, S.J.
- Birthday: Katherine Lu-Lau
- Birthday: Yolanda B. Capistrano
- Birthday: Emilio Ballesteros
- Wedding Anniversary: Bobby & Rowie Cordon
… for the healing and peace of all families
Finally, we pray for one another, for those who have asked our prayers
and for those who need our prayers the most.
Have a good day!
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