Endless love that loves to the end

Here is the text of the homily I prepared for the Mass of the Lord's Supper, the first part of the Easter Triduum which was celebrated tonight.

Endless love (Part 1)

We have completed our Lenten observance and have begun the liturgy of the Easter Triduum.  Tonight, we gather around a table, like Jesus and his disciples did on that night when they shared the Last Supper.  Our gathering continues the well-established tradition, common to both the Jewish and the Christian practices: sitting at table with others is much more than merely an occasion for refueling the body, for enjoying certain delicacies or for celebrating particular occasions.  In both traditions, eating and feasting are opportunities for encounters with the divine.

Jesus had many such encounters: with Matthew and his business colleagues, with Simon the Pharisee, with Lazarus and his sisters, with Zacchaeus in Jerico, with outcasts and centurions, with crowds on the Galilean hillside and with disciples in their homes.  Jesus was no stranger to sitting at table, and neither were any of those who were present on the night, but then he did something very strange indeed.  During the supper, Jesus … got up from the table, took off his outer robe and tied a towel around himself (Jn 13:4).  Many times before, his disciples had been surprised by Jesus words, but now they must have truly wondered about what he was doing.  Even today, Jesus surprises us, every time he shows his love to us, every time we encounter his mercy because there is no limit to his love, and no extent to which he is unwilling to go in order to show us his mercy.

Jesus’ gesture of washing the feet of his disciples must be understood as part of the great mystery of the Eucharist.  In their encounter with the divine in the Upper Room, the disciples received a great gift from the Lord (1 Cor 11:23).  He had surprised them when he … took a loaf of bread, … gave thanks, … broke it and said: ‘This is my body that is for you; do this in remembrance of me’ (1 Cor 11:24), and later on in the meal, he took the cup … saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood.  Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me (1 Cor 11:25), but ever since that day, we have continued to repeat these gestures: to break bread, to share a cup and to wash each other’s feet.

In his simple yet profound gestures, Jesus teaches us that true authority comes from being a servant, from laying down our lives for our friends.  His life is a feast for the poor and for sinners.  It must be the same for those who receive the Lord’s body and blood.  From the Eucharist, a certain style of life must flow: a life of community, a genuine care for our neighbours, a heartfelt compassion for strangers, a willingness to recognize the boundless mercy that inhabits the heart of the One who has first loved us, and an equal willingness on our part to be merciful toward others.

We began this liturgy with the presentation of the holy oils that were blessed and consecrated by our Bishop last week at the Mass of Chrism.  These oils will be used here in this church in the coming months for the celebration of the Sacraments, moments when new members of our Church will first encounter the love and mercy of our God in Baptism; when sick and ailing members of our community will encounter the tender love of God in the midst of their suffering; and when young people will encounter the joyful face of Jesus as they confirm their decision to live as his disciples.  Priests and deacons share in the ministry of Jesus, along with our Bishop.  It is indeed a privilege for us to consider that when we baptize, it is not us – but rather it is Jesus himself – who welcomes new members into his family; when we preach the word, it is not us – but Jesus – who instructs the hearts of believers; when we prepare the Eucharist, it is not us – but Him who we serve – that offers his body and his blood as nourishment for the journey of faith.

We do what we do purely out of love for Jesus, because we ourselves have experienced his inexhaustible love of us and encountered his boundless mercy.  During the Chrism Mass that was celebrated last week, priests of our diocese renewed our commitment to serve the people of God.  Tonight, I would like to invite the deacons of our parish to also renew their commitment to serve all those who are part of this community:

Dear brothers, are you resolved to discharge the office of deacon with humility and love in order to assist the Bishop and the priests and to serve the people of Christ? 

Are you resolved to hold the mystery of the faith with a clear conscience as the Apostle urges, and to proclaim this faith in word and action as it is taught by the gospel and the Church’s tradition? 

Are you resolved to maintain and to deepen a spirit of prayer appropriate to your way of life, and in keeping with what is required of you, to pray for God’s people in the Church and throughout the whole world?

Are you resolved to shape your way of life always according to the example of Christ, whose body and blood you share with his people?

And you, dear people of God, are you resolved to live as disciples of Jesus, inspired by his word and fed by his body and blood, to imitate his example of washing the feet of those he calls you to serve?

May the Lord who invites us to sit at table with him tonight always continue to nourish us.  May he who washed the feet of his disciples, inspire us and challenge us to wash one another's feet (Jn 13:14), to be instruments of his mercy and forgiveness ... and may we always seek opportunities to joyfully share the good news we encounter around this table with our brothers and sisters.