Homily: Mass of the Last Supper Year
ABC
Celebrating the Last Supper and
Serving One Another in Time of Covid-19
Fr. Udoekpo, Michael Ufok
v Exod 12:1-8,
11-14
v Ps 116:12-13,
15-16bc, 17-18
v 1 Cor 11:23-26
v John 13:1-15
Tonight
we begin the Sacred Triduum, three solemn days that encompass the paschal mystery
of Jesus Christ and draw each of us into remembering his passion, death, and
resurrection. But this year’s (2020) celebrations are faced with difficulties,
pains and extra-ordinarily challenges brought by the ongoing corona-virus pandemic
(Covid-19).
Unfortunately
statistics drawn from several nations shows that as at today, many have been afflicted
viciously by this corona virus pandemic and health workers overstretched. Some have lost their loved ones as
well as their jobs. Anxieties and blood pressure of many have been raised. What
should the Church Do? Abandon her faith and trust in the Lord, when it is most
needed? No! Of course, for the past
weeks all of us have been struggling to adjust, keep to personal hygiene, wash our hands repeatedly, distance ourselves socially,
attain Masses virtually on TV, internet sources and other social networks as
well as worship our Lord spiritually as much as we can. We have been doing this
following the laws put in place by our scientist, civil and ecclesiastical authorities,
especially the “degree in time of Covid-19” by the Congregation of Divine
Worship and Discipline of the Sacraments for our own good and well-being of
others.
As you
all know this Mass of the Last Super is usually preceded by Chrism Mass, where
priest gather around their Bishops, in their respective cathedrals, expressing
faith in Christ the high priest and unity of the sacred priesthood . Oils of
the catechumen, sick and chrism are also usually blessed for ministry
throughout the following year. In this challenging times our bishops have been
given the faculty to adapt the celebration to their local suitable dates. Priests
can also celebrate this Mass in a suitable place today, without the people.
Those who cannot, are to pray the Vespers of the day. Also the washing of the
feet can be omitted. The Blessed Sacrament is to be kept in the tabernacle
after Mass. No procession to the altar of repose.
This
is where we are today. It is difficult for everyone, the rich and the poor. But our faith, our love, hope and trust in the
Lord has not changed. Holy Thursday brings to our minds three gifts: the gift
of the Lord’s Super/the Holy Eucharist, the gift of the sacred priesthood, and
the gift of Christ’s redeeming love—love that is stronger than death, stronger
than the fleeing disciples’ fear, stronger than the lies of the power-mongering
Pilate and of the few Jewish elites. It is a love stronger than the betrayal of
Judas, the denials of Peter, the mockeries of the Roman soldiers, and selfishness
of humans. Christ, the high priest, loves his own, all of us—pastors, priests,
deacons, sisters, moms, dads, children, friends, grandpas, and grandmas—to the
end (John 13:1). Wherever you are located, in the church, homes, offices etc., tonight,
Christ loves you! He watches over you, even in our suffering and fear of the
unknown!
The
Eucharist, the institution of which we reenact today, is a banquet of love,
gratitude, and service. It provides us a particular opportunity to remember not
only how much God loves us and would want to wash our feet, but his ever-living
presence in our lives, in our homes, and in our families. It teaches us to
cultivate a sense of gratitude in good times and in bad times! We have not
doubt that this corona virus will come to pass. It is a time we need to support
one another. As I said yesterday in my reflection we are in this together!
I
personally grew up in a family of six children, surrounded by many nieces and
nephews. We ate together, served one another from the same plates, and drank
from the same cup. In sharing and serving, I would feel the deep love,
friendship, nourishment, strength, and support of my family and a sense of
gratitude to my parents. We would laugh, joke, and talk about important events
in our lives. This is the time we need to support one another, through texting
and calls as much as we can! We are in this together!
I want
to believe that when Christ gathered his disciples in that Upper Room for the
Last Supper the night before his passion, there was no Corona virus. But he
knew the intimacy of a shared meal—a meal of love and sacrifice, a meal that
nourishes and strengthens us in our weaknesses. He wanted this sacred meal,
this new Passover, to be remembered. He said, “Do this in remembrance of me”
(Luke 22:19ff; Mark 14:22ff; Matt 26:26ff; John 13:1-15), instituting also the ministerial
priesthood.
In today’s
second reading Paul says, “I received from the Lord what I also handed on to
you, that the Lord Jesus on the night when he was betrayed took a loaf of
bread, and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, ‘This is my body
that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’ In the same way he took the cup
also, after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this,
as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me’ ” (1 Cor 11:23-25).
Jesus
will always remain really and substantially present with us in the Holy
Eucharist. After this meal that night, Jesus would walk across to that Garden of
Gethsemane. From there he would be arrested, harshly interrogated by Annas and
Caiaphas, and be brought to Pilate’s praetorium for trial. John testifies that Jesus
was sacrificially killed on the cross at the same hour the paschal lamb of the
Jewish Passover was slaughtered, as described in today’s first reading (Exod
12:1-8, 11-14). This makes Christ, in this new dispensation, the new Passover lamb,
the cup of the new covenant of love and service. He also teaches us how to
endure in times of crisis like the ongoing pandemic.
On the
cross his bones would not be broken, and his priestly inner-seamless tunic would
not be torn nor shared among soldiers. In this, Jesus is protective of each and
every one of us, who may suffer or be threatened by Covid -19. He is protective
of our marriages and religious vows, family values, Christian unity (“that they
be one,” John 17:11), priesthood, friendships, and faith. He also knew that the
journey to the cross would be rough, but his priestly dignity would remain
intact, a tunic of love—challenging to the modern priesthood, which is always in
need of our prayers (see recent work From the Depths of Our Hearts; Priesthood,
Celibacy, and the Crisis of the Catholic Church by Benedict XVI and
Cardinal Robert Sarah, Ignatius Press, 2020).
Even
though the washing of the feet is omitted in this year’s Mass of the Last Super
for reasons remember in Exodus 29:4 at the ordination ceremony of priests,
Aaron and his children’s feet were washed at the entrance of the tent as
stipulated in the old law (Lev 8:6) for the purpose of external purification. But
in the context of the Last Supper, Christ gave us a sign of interior
purification (John 13:1-15) by washing his disciples’ feet, something deeper
than external ritual.
By
washing his disciples’ feet, Jesus shows the depth of his love—a love leading
to the cross. He teaches all of us in this challenging time, including the
hesitant Peter, a new way of sacrificial love, a new way of service and
friendship. This is not a new way of “eye service.” He teaches us a new way of
self-transcendence, not a new way of self-aggrandizement. He teaches us a new
way to serve, not a new way to be served; a new way of friendship that does not
exclude the poor, prisoners, and the marginalized. By washing his disciples’
feet, Jesus overcomes by love the inequality that existed by nature between
himself and those whom he had chosen.
As we
celebrate this Last Supper, in this year of corona virus, sharing in the bread
and wine of the new covenant of love, gratitude, and selfless service, let us
know that Christ sees us, loves us, and recognizes us and watches over us in
our difficulties. He sees the rich, the poor, the afflicted, distressed and the
downtrodden.
Let us know that, having been washed clean, we,
all of us, leaders, neighbors, health workers, government and ecclesiastical
institutions, together, we have been given the spiritual capacity and have been
blessed with the divine strength of his example to joyfully love and gratefully
serve and pray for one another, especially in this difficult time of pandemic.
Reflection
Questions
1. What
is the meaning of today’s celebration for you?
2. What
is your understanding of love, the Eucharist, and the priesthood?
3. How
often do you see yourself as a servant to others, especially in this moment of
pandemic?
