Humbly submit your will to God (Thy Will be done) and consecrate yourself to the Sacred Heart of Jesus through Mary and Joseph.
Before the feast of Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come
to pass from this world to the Father.
He loved his own in the world and he loved them to the end.
The devil had already induced Judas, son of Simon the Iscariot, to hand him over.
So, during supper,
fully aware that the Father had put everything into his power
and that he had come from God and was returning to God,
he rose from supper and took off his outer garments.
He took a towel and tied it around his waist.
Then he poured water into a basin
and began to wash the disciples’ feet
and dry them with the towel around his waist.
He came to Simon Peter, who said to him,
“Master, are you going to wash my feet?”
Jesus answered and said to him,
“What I am doing, you do not understand now,
but you will understand later.”
Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet.”
Jesus answered him,
“Unless I wash you, you will have no inheritance with me.”
Simon Peter said to him,
“Master, then not only my feet, but my hands and head as well.”
Jesus said to him,
“Whoever has bathed has no need except to have his feet washed,
for he is clean all over;
so you are clean, but not all.”
For he knew who would betray him;
for this reason, he said, “Not all of you are clean.”
So when he had washed their feet
and put his garments back on and reclined at table again,
he said to them, “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.”
Today, Holy Thursday, the Institution of the priesthood and Eucharist, Jesus gives us the first Mass. In John’s Gospel, he does not use the words of institution but rather focuses on the washing of the disciples feet. Jesus provides a model that mirrors the crucifixion. The lowliest Jewish slave did not wash his master’s feet. This symbolizes the crucifixion. Some scripture scholar’s believe the washing of the feet symbolizes baptism. The teaching Christ is handing on to us is to be selfless. “There is no greater love than to lay one’s life down for one’s friends.” JN 15:13
God became a Man to show us how much the Father loves us, to redeem us by giving His own life up to atone for every sin, and be a model of holiness. This is true love. There is no greater love. This is what our hearts are truly yearning for. We are fulfilled when we are selfless and give up ourselves for the other, when we learn to serve. Enter each room asking how you can help. Get off of our screens and spend time with humans giving and receiving. Sacrifice what you want for the benefit of the other. At the heart of Holy Thursday, Jesus teaches us to be other-centered. It takes a lifetime, a vocation, and training our mind to wake each day and be other-centered. If you make this choice, the rewards are eternal!
Today’s challenge: Take time to go to watch the Easter Triduum, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday, the three highest feast days on all of the Church calendar. How did these events change YOUR life forever and all of human history? If it is all about another long weekend to spend more time on yourself, what are your priorities? Jesus opens wide His heart for you, gives up His life for you, and desires a personal relationship with you. The hardest part, you have to CHANGE! We hate change and we are afraid. Ask God for His grace, it transforms what sin has damaged.
Be a servant, become a saint!
#Christian YOLO
Many times, even though we know that God is God, we try to act as if we know what we are doing even though we don’t. Jesus wants us to come to Him with our brokenness. We have to admit to it, surrender, even though the world tells us not to. Jesus was so humble. He knew what was about to happen to Him, and he washed other mens’ feet. He was our model, which I have to try this Easter to follow more. This triduum, I am really going to try to reflect on how I can be a better person.