Holy Thursday 2015

Holy Thursday 2015 (April 2, 2015)

The Holy Father, Pope Francis, on Holy Thursday, washed the feet of 12 inmates, and one infant.  Six of the inmates, 6 were female.  One of the inmates had an infant with her.  

The Holy Father spoke about Christ washing of the feet of the disciples.  Christ was being a humble servant.  He wanted to serve, almost like a slave.  He modeled servant-leadership for his disciples.  

Not only that, but the Holy Father spoke about how Christ wanted to cleanse people from their filth.  This happened literally as Christ knelt down to washed the feet of his disciples.  It also happened in a spiritual sense when he died on the Holy Cross.

Over time, the things that we say and do can certainly have an effect on our lives.  Especially when looking back to examine our own conscience, and see some of those areas of regrets.  Some of those things we recall can make us feel guilty and embarrassed.  It makes us feel spiritually filthy.  Our sins can make us feel imprisoned.  Just as we shower and clean our body everyday, our soul needs cleansing.  Spiritual cleansing cannot come from ourselves.  It can only come from God.  Only in God can we experience the true freedom and peace.  

On this Holy Thursday, we reenact the foot washing of our Lord.  We are reminded that the Lord desires to cleanse and renew our soul.  Through his body and the blood poured forth from the Holy Cross, the Eucharist we receive, purifies and cleanses the soul.

In the first reading from the Book of Exodus, God's word recalls the event of the first Passover for the chosen people.  The Sacrificial Lamb gave them nourishment, and protected them from harm.  The Holy Words of St John the Baptist recalls the new covenant.  Christ is the Sacrificial Lamb.  "Behold, the Lamb of God, Behold him who takes away the sins of the world."

Today, God's word through St. John's Gospel doesn't focus on the institution, but instead on the washing of the feet.   In other words, The Holy Mass is to be held in a spirit of charity.  The Holy Mass makes us people of charity.  At Mass and adoration, we are in the presence of love.  And after spending time with the Beloved Son, we are called to be loving and charitable persons.  

He knelt down and washed the feet of his disciples.  When he finished, he said: 

 “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.”