The season of Lent commenced on Ash Wednesday (March 2), with a call to all Christians to pray, fast and give alms and thus be reconciled to God.
Borrowing the words of St Paul, the Holy Father, Pope Francis, in his message of Lent, called the people of good will “not to grow weary of doing good in active charity towards our neighbours and giving joyfully.”
The Lent season covers a period of six weeks, and the sixth Sunday, known as Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord, marks the beginning of the Holy Week, which is the last week in the earthly life of Jesus, unfolding the mystery of His death, burial and resurrection.
From the evening of the Lord’s Supper on Maundy Thursday until the evening of Easter Sunday, the Church celebrates the Easter Triduum which includes the Good Friday, the Holy Saturday and the Lord’s Resurrection on Easter Vigil followed by Easter Sunday. The Easter Vigil is traditionally known as the “Mother of all Holy Vigils.”
On Maundy Thursday, Jesus performed three sublime acts which no one ever imagined. He left behind a rich legacy for posterity. All this happened at the Last Supper that Jesus had with His twelve apostles including Judas Iscariot who betrayed Him.
While at Supper, Jesus instituted the Holy Eucharist, the Priesthood and the New Law that surpassed the old law when He said: “I give you a new commandment: Love one another as I have loved you.”
Jesus, knowing that His hour had come, celebrated with His twelve the Pasch during which He instituted the Sacrament of the Eucharist which, said St Thomas Aquinas, is a perpetual memorial of His passion and the greatest of the miracles Jesus performed.
This threefold act of Jesus is central to Christianity that He founded in the New Testament. Those who share worthily in His body and blood, are guaranteed a share in His Resurrection and eternal life.
Touching is the scene of the washing of the feet by Jesus. He leaves the table of supper and takes off His garment, ties around His waist a towel and begins to wash the feet with water poured into a basin and then wipes them with the towel. This way, He becomes like a slave.
Such service to the least and the last, to those living on the periphery of society, is the new way of being His followers, embodied in the new commandment of love.
The Maundy Thursday invites all of us to render service primarily to the poor and the needy in whom we discover the face of Jesus.
The Eucharist, the Priesthood and the Commandment of Love are interconnected. The body and blood of Jesus that nourish our lives, ever provide spiritual strength to lead a true Christian life for which purpose He empowered His disciples to reproduce the miracle of His body and blood as the living memorial of His presence in our midst.
Just as He broke the bread for others, we need now to break ourselves through our actions and deeds that will set free our brothers and sisters suffering from violence, cruelty, hatred, discrimination and injustices.
May this celebration of Maundy Thursday enable us to journey together in good times and in bad, as a community of faith, hope and love.
(The writer is a Parish Priest of Our Lady of Immaculate Conception Church at Panaji)
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[INSET BOX]
Panaji Church to wash feet
of Covid warriors, victims
The Our Lady of Immaculate Conception Church at Panaji will mark Maundy Thursday by inculcating the spirit of service to people and to acknowledge the selfless services rendered by people, particularly during the pandemic.
During the ceremony of the washing of feet, the parish has chosen individuals like a doctor, a social worker, a couple, a youth, a widow, a religious and others who suffered a lot during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite their struggles, they reached out to others in different forms to mitigate their pain and suffering, risking at times their own lives. And yet God took great care of them.
The solemn liturgical rites of Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Vigil at Panaji Church will be animated for better participation, by the parish choir that will sing hymns and motets and the Mass in Konkani, English and Latin.
