Holy (Maundy) Thursday

Fr Dominic’s Homily

There are many different images of Christ all around the world. If you think of all the paintings, they depict him in many different ways. From a tiny baby to the Good Shepherd to a crucified criminal.

But today we have one of the most striking images of Jesus – that of a humble servant washing the feet of his disciples. (Which covid stopped us doing for a while)

Here on his knees before others, his head lowered in humility and in love, doing the work of a slave – here is where you see the true image of Christ. Tonight, God gets down on his knees for us. He lowers himself and becomes a servant to the world — as humble as a slave.

This image is challenging for us. In a world that tells you that you must stand up for yourself. That you must be assertive. That you must be strong. That you must be successful. That this life is all about you and what you can get out of it.

It’s challenging in that one of Jesus’ last acts on earth, the last time with his friends, is spent taking care of them, purifying them and removing the dust of the day. Emptying himself for them. It is God becoming less…so that we can become more.

You can almost imagine him anticipating the roads they will travel in the future spreading his word. Maybe he is somehow getting them ready for missions they will undertake after he has gone, travelling by foot to bring the gospel to the world.

But Jesus gives his Apostles this example of his service. The point Jesus tried to draw out, was that there is no love without service. That true love is more of a verb than a noun. More of an action than simply a nice feeling. And Jesus washing the feet of his disciples was showing his loving service.

It can be slightly embarrassing sometimes, for those having feet washed. Often more difficult for those having their feet washed than for the person doing it. It must have been the same for the apostles. (A few years ago we had to wear masks due to Covid. Maybe that’s a good thing??!)

But if we consider who was actually doing it all those years ago we can feel privileged to participate in this ritual. It is the image of a loving and humble God.

In many ways it’s also a lovely representation of the priesthood in the sacrament of reconciliation. In confession.

We all walk the earth carrying the debris of our lives – our failings, our sins, our weaknesses. We collect them as we journey through the world and they cling to us. But through Christ they are washed away. It has a sacramental feeling about it. We are made new and we can begin again.

That’s why it’s so important to come to confession as often as we can rather than say just twice a year. Our relationship with Jesus is worth so much more than that.

Jesus of all people ever to exist had the authentic right to status and power and privilege. Yet he shows us that this is how we must treat each other. It’s not about what you can do for me but what can I do for you.

This same Christ is made present for us at each and every Mass in the form of bread and wine. It is Christ present in the Eucharist that feeds and nourishes our souls when we consume him and when we adore him.

Jesus is the sacrificial lamb who gives his life for us and becomes the everlasting covenant that brings us back to full communion with the Father.

Through the celebrations of these two aspects of the Church, the priesthood and the Eucharist, let us experience the true image of Christ in our lives this day.