He loved his own in the world and he loved them to the end

On the night before he suffered, Jesus, the Master and Lord, rises from his place at the head of the table and begins to wash his disciples’ feet. Peter and the others are shocked. They cannot understand why the Master lowers himself to take on the slave’s role. Jesus is making the gesture that they will never forget.

The washing of the feet is also a symbol of what he will undergo the following day: suffer death for their sake and for the sake of the many, meaning “all.” Stooping low to be of service to others mirrors the giving of life to the utmost.

Holy Thursday marks the institution of two sacraments—the Eucharist and the Priesthood: the sign of Jesus’ love for us until the end. These two sacraments on which we meditate today belong to the hour when Jesus was lifted up; they were instituted hours before

Jesus died on the cross.

These sacraments remind us of the cross, for Holy Thursday leads to Good Friday. Holy

Thursday is the bridge between the ministry of Jesus and his passion and death. Holy Thursday is the transition—a long night where so many things will happen: the prayer at Gethsemane, the very act of Judas handing Jesus over, the denial by Peter, the trial before the Sanhedrin.

Even as we read the Last Supper account from John, we recall Luke’s account of Holy Thursday night: “The Lord turned and looked at Peter; and Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said to him, ‘Before the cock crows today, you will deny me three times.’ He went out and began to weep bitterly” (22:61-62).

As every Holy Thursday we kneel before Jesus at the Altar of Repose, we imagine him looking at us as he did look at Peter. Think of all the betrayals and denials. But most importantly, we remember, despite this, Jesus loved us to the end. Do I give importance to the Eucharist in my life? Do I see it as Jesus’ sign of love for us?

Gospel • John 13:1-15

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.”

Source: “366 Days with the Lord 2024.” St. Paul’s, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 632-895-9701; E-mail: publishing@stpauls.ph; Website: http://www. stpauls.ph.