HOLY THURSDAY
The title of my reflection is, “Holy Thursday.”
We priests and lots of other people are probably wondering
if the dramatic and devastating fire in Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris - will bring even more people to Holy Week and
Easter services and liturgies this week around the world.
This morning I’d like to reflect out loud on a few
possible reflections for Holy Thursday - and its meanings.
Holy Thursday we celebrate Christ gathering with his
disciples for the Passover Meal. It’s
the last meal Christ has with his disciples before he passes over from this
life to the next.
What are the last words we want to say to those we love
and those whom we have spent our life with?
As priest I’ve heard a lot of those words at bedsides with dying
people. If you want to hear the last
words of Jesus, read the Last Supper words of Jesus around the table -
especially in the Gospel of John.
Continue this week with his words in the garden - Could
you not stay awake with me for 1 hour? Continue this week with his words from
the cross on Good Friday.
Today reflect on all the care those we know and love gave
to us and we to them. At the Last Supper
Jesus washed his disciples’ feet. At the service tonight our pastor and thousands
and thousands of priests around the
world will wash the feet of Christ’s disciples.
Reflect also on all those in
hospitals and nursing homes - and everyday homes who care for those who are
sick - for those who are dying - as well as babies and those who need care and
daily washing.
Today we reflect upon bread and wine - the Mass - the
Meal - and all the tables of the world - where and when people feed each
other. We reflect upon all the love and
all the work and all the effort that goes into a meal. The shopping, the
preparing, the cooking and the cutting - paid for by the workers of the world.
We pray, “Give us this day our daily bread.”
We pray for those out of work.
We reflect on the meaning of food. Farmers, manufactures, truck drivers, time for wheat to grow in our
fields and wine in our vineyards. The
poetry and the mystery of animals - lambs - including the Pascal Lamb - dying
to give us life and nourishment.
Today - Holy Thursday - we also think about priests and the need for priests
that parents and siblings and parishioners to encourage priests.
Good stuff to think about.
So we need churches like those recently torched in
Louisiana - as well as Notre Dame - as well as this church building and St.
John Neumann - for people to come and pray and be reflective - like us this
morning and this evening - and many more mornings and evenings in our lives.
Amen.
