Can you imagine being invited to a friend’s house for dinner and, as you prepare to dig into the first dish, your friend gets up, grabs a towel, a water pitcher and basin and offers to wash your feet. What would you think and how would you feel? For the people of Jesus’ time, it was customary to have the household servant wash the dust off the feet of guests as they entered the house. It was refreshing for the guests after they had walked hot, dusty roads to their destination. But, the master of the house never did it; it was usually the task of the lowest ranking servant. We can easily understand why Peter would protest.
But, the Jewish people were accustomed to their prophets and religious leaders using symbolism to make an important point. They recalled that Moses erected twelve pillars as he offered sacrifice at Mount Sinai to symbolize the union of the twelve tribes under the one covenant that God had made with them. They would never forget the great prophet Jeremiah buying a clay pot and breaking it in front of the elders of Jerusalem, speaking for God with the powerful words that “thus will I smash this people and this city, as one smashes a clay pot so that it cannot be repaired” as he foretold the destruction of Jerusalem. And, they took great encouragement from the prophet Ezekiel who, at the Lord’s command, took two sticks, wrote Judah on one and Israel on another and then joined them together in his hand to make one stick, symbolizing the reunion of the divided kingdom. So, those who were at table with Jesus could expect him to use this act – washing the feet of his disciples – to symbolize something important. And, indeed, it did. It spoke of the service that is inextricably linked to the Last Supper. Nourished by the life-giving Body and Blood that our Lord has left them, the disciples were then to go out and care for the needs of everyone they encountered, just as Jesus had done.
We begin tonight the Sacred Triduum, the three days that call us together to celebrate the mysteries of our redemption. In order to help us enter more deeply into these mysteries, each celebration that occurs on these three days has its own unique character and special points of emphasis. They move us from the events that occurred at the Last Supper, to our Lord’s Passion and death on the cross, and finally to the Easter Vigil, when we joyfully celebrate our Lord’s Resurrection from the dead.
Each celebration provides us with rich symbolism, leading us to open ourselves more fully to God so that we can come to experience ever more deeply the mysteries by which Jesus Christ has redeemed us. Our understanding and belief as Catholics is that what we do here together over these next three days is not a mere remembrance of events that happened in the past – long ago and far away in ancient Jerusalem. Rather, as we remember these events, we participate in their once-and-for-all saving power and experience their effects made present to us here and now.
Of course, this happens in a way that is beyond our ability to define or even fully understand. That is why we refer to them as the mysteries of our faith. What is needed most to be truly open to God and to grow in faith and holiness is trust in God. We are called to trust that God can and does work through everything that happens in our lives to bring about our greatest good. As Jesus put his trust in his Father and accomplished great things through his life, suffering, death and resurrection, as the apostles put their trust in Jesus and spread the Gospel far and wide, so we accomplish great things when we put our trust in God, listen to and obey his saving words.
Let us reflect a moment on what we celebrate tonight. The Mass of the Lord’s Supper is first and foremost a recollection of our Lord’s institution of the Eucharist. He gave us his Body and Blood so that he would be present to the Church until the end of time. Every time we celebrate the Eucharist, our Lord is truly present to us, both in his Word and in his sacred Body and Blood. He continues to nourish us so that we can continue to grow in holiness and spread the Good News of our salvation to everyone we meet by our words and actions.
Another important aspect of tonight’s Mass of the Lord’s Supper is the establishment of the Christian priesthood. We all share in the priesthood of Jesus Christ through our baptism. After having the saving waters poured over our head, through which we were washed clean of original sin, we were anointed with the sacred chrism, the holy oil through which – as the name indicates – we were consecrated in Christ and given a share in his ministry as priest, prophet and king. And some among us are called to the order of priest to lead the baptized ever closer to Christ through service as his sacred ministers. A clear sign of the service we are called to embrace is the washing of the feet, in imitation of our Lord’s washing his disciples’ feet. I will be privileged to do just that in a few moments, washing the feet of men and women who represent everyone in our parish.
Tonight’s Mass of the Lord’s Supper reminds us that we have much for which we should be grateful. That’s why it is called the Eucharist, which means “thanksgiving.” Every time we come to Mass, we who have been blessed through the saving power of baptism receive our Lord in his Word and in his saving Body and Blood. This nourishes us to lead lives more like his. Let us, in grateful praise, offer our lives in love and service to God and others, just as his son did for us!