HOLY THURSDAY HOMILY. 1ST APRIL 2010. FR. PAUL KELLY
The thing that really strikes me in the readings this year…. is the wonderful line from the second reading tonight….. from St Paul, in his letter to the people of Corinth…. “this is what I received from the Lord, and in turn passed on to you…..” // what he received, he in turn passed on to others….…. And what those people received.. they passed on to those they knew… and t their beloved families…….//… and, generation after generation has faithfully passed down this treasured faith….. this sacred story…. Over two thousand years….. right through to this gathering of the church in prayer…. United with the church throughout the world……
We hold a treasure so special, so precious…… so life giving…… it is hard to put into words……… There is a richness,… and a connection that we never take for granted……. That we can reflect upon for a lifetime…… //
The other thing that struck me about the gift of the Eucharist…., Christ’s gift to his disciples….. the gift of his abiding and real presence amongst us……., which we commemorate in this Holy Thursday night….. is that, at the end of Jesus’ earthly life…. Knowing that he would soon suffer and die…. Knowing that one of his own followers was about to betray him… and that people were turning against him just for suggesting that God wants all people to be part of God’s family.. and to live in peace, harmony and justice with one another and with God….. and aware that his own disciples were not fully getting his message and that they would soon all scatter… and even Peter would deny him…. Knowing all of this, you could be forgiven for feeling bitter, disillusioned, angry…. Sorry for oneself…… Jesus was none of these things……. he was sad, and, yes, he was very fearful of what would come, and he must have been tired and disappointed…. …… but despite all this…. He longs to share a final meal with his friends…. He takes bread.. and takes a cup… and he looks up to heaven and he gives heartfelt thanks to his heavenly Father….. in the midst of everything that was happening and what was about to happen… his whole life… his whole attitude it one great act of thanksgiving and service…. That is so impressive…. It is beautiful….. it would be understandable of a person, faced with all this, was moody, distracted, self-absorbed and withdrawn… but instead… Jesus takes time out to thank his Hevenly father for so many great gifts… he thinks clearly about giving his followers this lasting way of being connected to him, come what may… and he gets up and serves them.. by washing their feet…. To show the attidude and focus of his message… self-sacrifice… service.. and above all… a love that gives everything for others…… Jesus is our inspiration and our model for everything….
We too, in everything we do and say, must be people of thanksgiving…. Even today, the word eucharist… means “thanksgiving’ “’’ so in good times and blessed times… let us give thanks for all the many, many gifts we have…. And even in times of difficulty and pain… of turmoil and doubt… let us continue to be grateful and remember the gifts that we still have… and give thanks to God for everything and everyone… if we take on Jeus’ thanksgiving, grateful and loving service attitude.. the world would be utterly transformed… and us along with it……
Let us, (in good times and bad… in season and out of season… be people of thanksgiving… Eucharistic people in word, action and truth)…..
As with every year, (in this sacred three days of the church year), there are some noticeable differences and omissions in the usual pattern of our liturgy…. These are all deliberate and powerful in their symbolism and significance…..
At the end of the mass tonight there is no final blessing or dismissal… and tomorrow at the Good Friday commemoration.. again there is no greeting or “dismissal proclamation”… and also, on Holy Saturday the ceremony begins without any formal “sign of the cross” or greeting…. This is because these three days… and these three liturgies are actually one and the same (united liturgy)… spaced out over three days…. // -- A powerful, continuous journey…. Spread out over three days………With pauses between for reflection and prayer…..
The differences, and solemnity also flow through to the absence of greetings and endings in the gospel….. and of course… after mass tonight… the altar and sanctuary is stripped of decoration….. taken back to the bare, unadorned furniture… as a sign that the shepherd is struck,,, the sheep are scattered… and the church waits in vigil … mourning, waiting, fasting….. longing for the bridegroom to return…. Everything sparse… until the joy of Easter…..
And on good Friday, there is no holy water in the fonts….. and the tabernacle is empty.. the usually continuously flickering red light to indicate Christ’s presence in the sacrament.. is out…. We wait in darkness for the Light of the world to rise again……
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