Christian Reflection and Prayer

Readings: Exodus 12:1-8, 11-14;
1 Corinthians 11:23-26; John 13:1-15

Scripture:

"But if I washed your feet then you
must wash each other's feet." (John 13:14)

Reflection:

People often say "Seeing is believing."
But on Holy Thursday, Christ turns it all
around. On Holy Thursday, believing is
seeing. Today the Lord establishes His
greatest gift to His disciples, the Eucharist,
the gift that has carried the Lord's Presence
to His followers throughout the centuries.
Here in the Eucharist we humble human
believers see and taste God.

If you go to the Holy Land and visit the room
of the Last Supper, you will probably be
surprised at how plain it is. No great church
surrounds it, and nothing in the room would
give a hint of the majestic event that occurred
there. It is a simple upper room. This simplicity
reflects our gospel reading that calls us to be
servants of one another. Jesus' act of washing
the disciples' feet was a sacred rite that prepared
and purified them for the bread of life. If they did
not serve one another as Jesus was serving
them, then they could not receive the bread of life.

The poor of Jesus' day did not wear sandals,
so their feet needed to be washed before entering
a house. The poor of our day do not have sandals,
food, a home, or political power. Once we have
seen Christ in the Eucharist, we also see the
poor who need us to wash their feet, call them
into our home, lead them to the bread of life.

Prayer:

Dear God.

On this day when you were turned over to face
death on the cross, let us remember that only
you are God and only you can say what is bad
or good. Help us to remember the evil done this
night lead to the greatest good that mankind
could ever have wished. That it is only our
ignorance which makes us condemn those who
killed you instead of praising them as the heroes
who made Easter possible. Only you know how
you perceive them, and us. So help us to know
that we are here to love you and one and other.
Not condemn, just love. The love that Jesus
showed us every day of his life and death.
Amen.