“Live
to Serve Love” by Beth DeCristofaro
It
is the Passover of the LORD. For on this same night, I will go through Egypt,
striking down every firstborn of the land, both man and beast, and executing
judgment on all the gods of Egypt—I, the LORD! But the blood will mark the
houses where you are. Seeing the blood, I will pass over you; thus, when I strike the land of Egypt, no destructive blow will come upon you. (Exodus 12:12-13)
(Jesus
said to them) 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.” (John 13:14-15)
Piety
Glory let us give, and blessing
To the Father and the Son,
Honor, might and praise addressing,
While eternal ages run;
Ever too his love confessing,
Who from both with both is one. Amen
(from Tantum
Ergo Sacramentum)
Study
Years ago, in Florence, Italy, I experienced a
most moving Mass of the Lord’s Supper.
Visiting our daughter, we attended Mass in a smallish stone church built
in the 13th century. A bustling,
paved plaza out front was filled with vendors and beggars all day. It was not
grand or even beautiful with its massively thick stone walls. The modern lights were garish and out of
character. But the remnants of murals left on the walls looked as if Masters
had painted them.
The first surprise was a Black celebrant with
a resonant voice; we had seen almost no racial diversity during our Italian
travels. His prayers, in melodious
Italian, rang in my heart even if I could understand only a few words. I have always enjoyed attending Mass in
different languages; it causes me to hear the familiar cadences anew and recognize
occasional words which are the same all over the world, and I feel at home
wherever I am.
As we sat in the chilly sanctuary on
uncomfortable spindly, wooden chairs, the next surprise came as the priest
doffed his chasuble and descended to the row of seats in front of the altar for
those who would have their feet washed.
Row upon row of people began to take off one shoe and sit – the entire
congregation took part. Also, people
filed in from outside, people we might have termed bums and ladies of the night. They sat and the priest respectfully,
patiently, kindly washed everyone’s feet without hurry or pause.
It was a portrait of Servant Leader; it was a
portrait of the Body of Christ. It was
inspiring and inspirational. Jesus told
his followers to do likewise. In his
Palm Sunday homily, Pope Francis said, “But how did the Lord serve us? By
giving his life for us. We are dear to him; we cost him dearly. And the
Father upheld Jesus in his service. He did not take away the evil
that crushed him but instead strengthened him in his suffering so that our evil
could be overcome by good, by a love that loves to the very end.
” Dear
brothers and sisters, (the Pope continued) what can we do in comparison with
God, who served us even to the point of being betrayed and abandoned? We
can refuse to betray him for whom we were created and not abandon what matters
in our lives. We were put in this world to love him and our
neighbors. Everything else passes away, only this remains. The
tragedy we are experiencing summons us to take the serious things seriously,
and not to be caught up in those that matter less; to rediscover that life
is of no use if not used to serve others. For life is measured by
love. So, in these holy days, in our homes, let us stand before the
Crucified One, the fullest measure of God’s love for us, and before the God who
serves us to the point of giving his life, and let us ask for the grace to live
to serve. May we reach out to those who are suffering and those most
in need. May we be concerned not about what we lack, but what good we can
do for others.
Behold
my servant, whom I uphold. The Father, who sustained Jesus in his Passion,
also supports us in our efforts to serve.”[i]
Action
Can I
accept and magnify the service, the love, which God through Christ lavishes on
me? If not, ask to accept the love and
“the grace to live to serve.”
[i] Pope
Palm Sunday Homily: Full Text, https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2020-04/pope-palm-sunday-homily-full-text.html
Illustration:
America
Magazine: The Jesuit Review, January 21, 2016, https://www.americamagazine.org/content/dispatches/pope-francis-reforms-ceremony-washing-feet-opens-it-women
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