Maundy Thursday – The Lord’s Supper
Jesus said, “I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. ”
Jesus knew everything that was going to happen, he knew that his ‘hour’, his moment of Exaltation and Glorification was looming. He is now surrounded by those whom he loved, his chosen friends and Apostles.
Jesus approaches his final moments by giving them his final teaching. Jesus institutes the Eucharist, which is the source and summit of the life of the Church. He also institutes the Ministry of the Sacred Priesthood to his Apostles, in a new and beautiful way.
Jesus loves his own right up to the end. He shows the intensity of his love, even to give up his life, but this love doesn’t stop at death. Jesus who is aware that he is the Son of God, and that the Father has put everything into his hands, humbles himself to perform a final service. A service that is more appropriate for the household servants. Culturally, the underside of the foot was considered a dishonourable part of the body, and the washing of another person’s feet was performed by someone of a lower status.
We are reminded of the hymn from the letter of St Paul to the Philippians: “Christ, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant.”
Christ came into the world, ‘not to be served but to serve’, this scene of the washing of the feet teaches us the same thing. Through Jesus’ example we should serve each other in all humility and simplicity. So, in the presence of his most beloved disciples, Jesus gladly carries out the task of a servant.
We see on one hand the malice of Judas, who fails to respond to Jesus’ demonstration of love, and on the other hand we see the great emphasis of the goodness in Christ. Jesus then reaches out beyond Judas’ malice by washing his feet and treating him as a friend, right up to the moment when he betrays him.
In our daily lives, you might find Jesus whispering in our ear from time to time, saying ‘I have given you an example of humility’, so that you too may learn to serve with a meekness of heart.
Peter sees how inappropriate it was for Jesus to wash his feet, and starts to protest. St Augustine comments by saying: ‘Who would not, shrink back in dismay, from having their feet washed by the Son of God.’ However, Our Lord’s loving gesture has a deeper significance than Peter was able to grasp. It was only after the Resurrection that the Apostles understood the mystery of Jesus’ service. By washing their feet, he was stating in a simple and symbolic way that he came to serve and that his service consisted of giving ‘his very life as a ransom for many.’ Jesus’ whole life was an example of service, fulfilling his Father’s will to the point of dying on the cross, to save all humanity from their sins, and allow them to enter into eternal life.
Our Lord has promised us that if we imitate him, our teacher, we will find true happiness, that no one can take away.
So, let us always reject from our hearts any pride or malice that we face, in order that, peace, love and joy will reign around us and within us, during this Holy Season of Easter.
Rev. Fr Philip Wrigley's Blog 