Holy Thursday –
Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper
(Exodus 12:1-8.11-14; I Corinthians 11:23-26; John
13:1-15)
The word remember
literally means to put the pieces (or
members) back together. When we remember
something, our minds restore the image that has been dispersed through
time. We remember a story by calling to mind its basic elements; for
example, a man had two sons: one left to spend his inheritance foolishly while
the other begrudged his brother a welcome upon returning. Today’s readings are all about remembering
and assigning new meaning to what is recalled.
The first reading gives the mandate to all the children
of Israel to remember God’s liberation of their ancestors from slavery. They are to recall the gracious act by reenacting
the meal eaten on the eve of its occurrence.
The second reading from St. Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians itself
remembers how Jesus gave new meaning to the mandate when faithfully fulfilling
it. For his followers the meal to be shared
will no longer remember God’s deliverance of the Israelites from political oppression. From that moment it will remember Jesus’ offering
of himself as the means of their liberation from sin.
The reading from the Gospel according to John presents a
new dimension of Jesus’ anticipated paschal supper with his disciples. The meal is replaced by the symbolic washing of
his followers’ feet. Typical of John’s
gospel Jesus interprets the meaning of his action. As he serves his disciples by both washing their
feet and dying for them the following day, they must serve one another. In other words, Christians are to love one
another to the point of dying on her or his behalf.
We are entering into the mysteries of our salvation. More than mandates of self-sacrifice they
include the graces of the Holy Spirit. We
go forward to celebrate them with solemn joy.
We will be challenged unto death but at the same time renewed for
eternal life.
