MAUNDY THURSDAY - INSTITUTION OF THE EUCHARIST AND THE WASHING OF THE FEET

by Br. Martin



Christ said to Pilate ' I came to bear witness to the Truth'. The truth that Jesus bore witness to was the kingdom of God. The kingdom of God is the fullness of the love of God manifesting in the fullness of the love of neighbour. It is the transformation of our normal day life into actions of God, into the life of God. The Eucharist represents this truth of the kingdom of God. Jesus took the b
read and wine, the symbols of finite and ordinary life and elevated them into divine, into the manifestation of God, into the body and blood of God. He shared that manifestation of God to his disciples. Transformation of bread and wine is the fullness of the love of God. Sharing that manifestation with our neighbours is the love of neighbour. In this sense our whole life becomes a continuous Eucharistic celebration, twenty four hours of the day. Every human being, both male and female, become priests. To become priests is the universal call of all human beings.

 
In St. John's gospel we have the washing of the feet. This is also another version of celebrating the Eucharist. To raise our consciousness to the level of the Son of God or the Daughter of God is the fullness of the love of God. This transformed consciousness lives for the welfare of the others, washing the feet, the love of neighbour. Hence the washing of the feet is also bearing witness to the Truth, the kingdom of God. Jesus invited everyone to do the same: do this in memory of me. 
These two rituals reveal also a God, who is humble, who comes to serve humanity, a saviour who comes to serve his fellow human beings. We are all invited to grow into the fullness of the love of God and into the fullness of the love of neighbour and bear witness to that truth by making our daily life into a continuous Eucharistic celebrations and washing the feet of our brothers and sisters and allowing them to wash our feet. Jesus said, just as I have washed your feet so also you must wash one another feet. Relate with one another from the fullness of the love of God. This is the message we receive today, the Maundy Thursday.


 

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