April 9, 2020 Thursday Evening of the Lord’s Supper

Today we begin our celebration of the Easter Triduum—the three days that form the climax of Jesus’ life on earth. Knowing that he is about to die, Jesus takes the opportunity at the Last Supper not only to tell the disciples what to do in the future, but to show them. As we celebrate together this evening, let us reflect on how we can become better disciples by serving others, washing one another’s feet as Jesus did.

This evening’s readings describe events steeped in history and ritual. Each one is explicitly ordered to be repeated. The first Passover, in which God liberated the Chosen People from slavery, is to be celebrated as a perpetual institution. At the first Eucharist, Jesus asks his disciples to repeat this in remembrance of him. After washing his disciples’ feet, Jesus tells them that this is a model to follow. In celebrating these events tonight, we recall and renew God’s covenant, Jesus’ sacrifice, and Jesus’ call to ministry

How will I follow the model that Jesus gave us at the Last Supper? How can I give myself in service to others, even to those who have hurt me?