By Beth DeCristofaro
The LORD said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, “Tell
the whole community of Israel: On the tenth of this month every one of your
families must procure for itself a lamb, one apiece for each household. “This
is how you are to eat it: with your loins girt, sandals on your feet and your
staff in hand, you shall eat like those who are in flight. (Exodus 12:1-3, 11)
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. (John 13:1-5)
Piety
Where true charity is
dwelling, God is present there. (Antiphon
from the Mass of the Lord’s Supper)
Study
As our ancestors in
faith, we are a Passover people. We are
given such amazing gifts by God: life, this beautiful world, the emotions and
imagination to love, be amazed and to create.
But these are not the whole of the gift.
We are offered more – are we aware?
Sr. Ruth Burrows
tells us that Jesus wants us “completely identified with Him in His perfect
sacrifice”[i].
Our lives are a journey to Him and the
building of the Kingdom begins within our hearts. Jesus was fully aware. Jesus knew the horrors and humiliation of the
sacrifice he is willing to make. Jesus
knew the wonder of life. He knew the
weaknesses of his disciples. He knew the
betrayal to come yet he modeled kindness, service, and humility including
washing the feet of his betrayer. The
footnotes to the Gospel state that even the lowest of slaves did not wash
others feet. Yet the Son of God did,
humbling himself and foreshadowing his dishonorable death on the Cross. Are we aware?
And can we choose with awareness to follow His lead?
Action
Sr. Ruth goes on to
say: When we open our hearts fully to
Jesus’ redeeming love, “the very love of Jesus takes possession of our hearts
and we too shall find ourselves concerned only with the work of God, devoid of
self-interest. ‘Come, Master, celebrate
your Pasch in my house-I open its doors wide to you.’” What self-interest bars the doors to our
hearts? Pray for the faith to open wide our
doors. Then pray for full awareness and
open.
[i]
“When Love Takes Possession”, Sr. Ruth Burrows, Give Us This Day: Daily Prayer
for Today’s Catholic, March 2016, pp. 264-265.
No comments:
Post a Comment