Frederick, Maryland,
United States - Daily Mass Reading & Meditation for Thursday, 17 April 2014
- Catholic Meditations
Meditations: John 13:1
Now before the feast of the Passover, Jesus, knowing that his time had come
that he would depart from this world to the Father, having loved his own who
were in the world, he loved them to the end. 2 During supper, the devil having
already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him, 3
Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he
came from God, and was going to God, 4 arose from supper, and laid aside his
outer garments. He took a towel, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5 Then
he poured water into the basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to
wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him. 6 Then he came to Simon
Peter. He said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?”
7 Jesus answered him,
“You don’t know what I am doing now, but you will understand later.”
8 Peter said to him,
“You will never wash my feet!”
Jesus answered him, “If
I don’t wash you, you have no part with me.”
9 Simon Peter said to
him, “Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!”
10 Jesus said to him,
“Someone who has bathed only needs to have his feet washed, but is completely
clean. You are clean, but not all of you.” 11 For he knew him who would betray
him, therefore he said, “You are not all clean.” 12 So when he had washed their
feet, put his outer garment back on, and sat down again, he said to them, “Do
you know what I have done to you? 13 You call me, ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord.’ You say
so correctly, for so I am. 14 If I then, the Lord and the Teacher, have washed
your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you
an example, that you also should do as I have done to you.
Holy Thursday: Evening
Mass of the Lord’s Supper
Not only my feet, but my
hands and head as well. (John 13:9)
Science has shown that
if you walk barefoot in public places, you risk picking up all sorts of nasty
microorganisms: E. coli, tetanus, and many different types of fungi. These
germs seem to consider the human foot a very welcoming environment, and they
turn our feet into petri dishes!
Can you imagine how
dirty people’s feet were during the time of Jesus? The apostles’ feet were
probably tougher, more calloused, and just plain uglier than anything most of
us have seen. No wonder it was the role of a slave to wash the feet of the
wealthy—no one else would want to!
So you can understand
Peter’s shock at the sight of Jesus stooping to wash his feet. Through his time
with Jesus, he had come to understand that Jesus was the Messiah. Just to share
a meal with him was an honor. So why in the world would this holy, wise man
take on such a menial task? Jesus had to explain the importance of this gesture
patiently before Peter would relent. And even then, he got it mixed up! Jesus
had to wash only Peter’s feet because he had already believed. His head and
hands were already clean.
The significance of this
act of humility is so profound that some have called it the gospel in
miniature. Others have likened it to the Eucharist. God so loved the world that
he sent his only Son to save us. And he still loves us so much that he bends
down at every Mass to teach us, feed us, and refresh us. Both in the
Incarnation and at Mass, he sends his only Son as a humble servant—all so that
we can be filled with his life and transformed into his image!
On this Holy Thursday,
focus on this truth: Jesus loves you so much that he is willing to wash your
feet. He cares for you so deeply that he wants to tend to your every need, even
to the point of feeding you with his Bread of Life and the cup of his own
Blood. How loving and generous is our Savior!
“Lord, thank you for
offering me a whole new life with you! Teach me how to love and serve as fully
as you have done.” Amen.
Exodus 12:1 Yahweh spoke
to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, saying, 2 “This month shall be to you
the beginning of months. It shall be the first month of the year to you. 3
Speak to all the congregation of Israel, saying, ‘On the tenth day of this
month, they shall take to them every man a lamb, according to their fathers’ houses,
a lamb for a household; 4 and if the household is too little for a lamb, then
he and his neighbor next to his house shall take one according to the number of
the souls; according to what everyone can eat you shall make your count for the
lamb. 5 Your lamb shall be without defect, a male a year old. You shall take it
from the sheep, or from the goats: 6 and you shall keep it until the fourteenth
day of the same month; and the whole assembly of the congregation of Israel
shall kill it at evening. 7 They shall take some of the blood, and put it on
the two door posts and on the lintel, on the houses in which they shall eat it.
8 They shall eat the flesh in that night, roasted with fire, and unleavened
bread. They shall eat it with bitter herbs.
11 This is how you shall
eat it: with your belt on your waist, your shoes on your feet, and your staff
in your hand; and you shall eat it in haste: it is Yahweh’s Passover. 12 For I
will go through the land of Egypt in that night, and will strike all the
firstborn in the land of Egypt, both man and animal. Against all the gods of Egypt
I will execute judgments: I am Yahweh. 13 The blood shall be to you for a token
on the houses where you are: and when I see the blood, I will pass over you,
and there shall no plague be on you to destroy you, when I strike the land of
Egypt. 14 This day shall be to you for a memorial, and you shall keep it a
feast to Yahweh: throughout your generations you shall keep it a feast by an
ordinance forever.
Psalm 116:12 What will I
give to Yahweh for all his benefits toward me?
13 I will take the cup of salvation, and call
on Yahweh’s name.
15 Precious in Yahweh’s
sight is the death of his saints.
16 Yahweh, truly I am
your servant.
I am your servant, the son of your servant.
You have freed me from my chains.
17 I will offer to you
the sacrifice of thanksgiving,
and will call on Yahweh’s name.
18 I will pay my vows to
Yahweh,
yes, in the presence of all his people,
1 Corinthians 11:23 For
I received from the Lord that which also I delivered to you, that the Lord
Jesus on the night in which he was betrayed took bread. 24 When he had given
thanks, he broke it, and said, “Take, eat. This is my body, which is broken for
you. Do this in memory of me.” 25 In the same way he also took the cup, after
supper, saying, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as
you drink, in memory of me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink
this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.
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