Holy Thursday:
Homily by Fr. Isaac Chima
Theme: Christ’s Passover: A New Covenant for a
new life
Readings: Ex 12:1-8,11-14; 1Cor 11:23-26; Jn
13:1-15
Dearest brothers and sisters, the celebration
of this evening - the Passover of the Lord - is at the foundation of the Church’s
life. It celebrates the institution of the Holy Eucharist by Jesus Christ on
the night He was Betrayed. The Holy Eucharist is the source and summit of our
faith; it is at the centre of the Christian life; it is what we gather in the
church to celebrate every day. This Passover also celebrates the institution of
the Sacred Ministerial Priesthood. It was at the Passover Meal that Christ instituted
the Sacrament of Holy Orders. With the Chrism Masses celebrated in all dioceses
of the world this week, the institution of the ministerial priesthood is
commemorated.
The Eucharist is a meal that saves us from the
power of sin and death, it is a meal of the new covenant, and a meal that
requires its recipients to live a particular pattern of life. These qualities
are clearly illustrated in the readings of today.
The first reading from the book of Exodus
recounted the Passover meal and the experience of the people of Israel in
Egypt, the land of slavery. After many years of suffering and slavery in the
land of Egypt, God instructed the people to prepare to leave Egypt. On the
night of their departure, God instructed them to mark their liberation and
redemption by celebrating the Passover. They killed a lamb, ate it in a
ceremonious way, but in a haste, and smeared its blood on their doorposts to
save them from the angel of death who would go round that night to kill the
firstborn sons of the people of Egypt. It was the blood of that lamb that saved
them from death. The Passover meal was to be commemorated every year to
celebrate that event. It became a great feast for the people of Israel in
remembrance of the great event that saved them from slavery.
It was on the occasion of the commemoration of
that Passover that Jesus instituted a new Passover for us. Just like the old
Passover, in the new Passover, the blood of the Lamb – Jesus – that was shed on
the Calvary saved us from sin and death, and we are instructed to celebrate
this Eucharistic meal in remembrance of the salvific event that saved us in
Christ.
In the second reading, Saint Paul tells us that
what Jesus did at the Last Supper was an institution of new covenant between
God and His people. So, the Eucharist is not an ordinary meal, it is a covenant
between us and God; it replaced the old covenant with the people of Israel.
According to the Gospel accounts and that of St. Paul, we are to celebrate this
meal in remembrance of God’s saving deeds in Christ until He comes again. The
celebration is not to be a passive remembrance, but an active one, a
celebration that brings to life or makes present the same meal that was
instituted on that night by Christ. It is referred to as an anamnesis. The term
anamnesis shows us that the Eucharist is an active reminiscence of the Last
Supper, a celebration through which Christians actively enter into the Paschal
mystery. So, our active participation is required at every Mass if we really
want to benefit from the blessings of the Mass.
In the Gospel, Jesus showed us the type of life
he expects from those who have participated in the new covenant, it is the life
of love and service to others. As soon as he finished eating the Passover meal,
Jesus descended from the table and started washing the feet of His disciples. Thereafter,
he told them that that he has given them an example to follow, and a new
commandment to love one another. Dear friends, the Eucharist is a communion
with God which challenges us to commune with one another. Jesus has
shown us that loving and serving one another are the qualities that should
characterize the life of whoever participates or has participated in this meal
of love and salvation. Therefore, all of us who participate in this meal
are challenged to go out to spread the love of God through good service to one
another. We are called to be humble in this service, just like Jesus who knelt
down to wash the feet of his apostle. The foot is the most common part of our
body, the part with which we march on dirt. So, it is only a servant/slave who
washes the feet of others. At the Last Supper, Jesus assumed the position of
the servant/slave. He wants us to do same.
Therefore, dear friends, it will be a
contradiction if the one who is participating in this meal or who has
participated in this meal cannot love other people and cannot help those in
need. It will be a contradiction if the one who eats this salvific meal cannot
replicate what Christ did. It will also be a contradiction if the one who eats
this meal cannot be humble. Let us go out and replicate this new life required
of us by this new covenant.
No comments:
Post a Comment