Holy Thursday 2025

 

Today's gospel reading from John 13:1-15 reminds us that John's account of the Last Supper is different from that found in the synoptic gospels - Matthew, Mark and Luke. The fundamental difference is that John does not include the actions and words of Jesus when he took the bread and wine and said, "This is my Body" and "This is my Blood". Instead, John tells of the washing of the feet. What I find fascinating in John's account is how he describes Jesus' consciousness on this fateful evening. It starts off saying that Jesus knew his hour had come for his death and journey "from this world to the Father". It tells of Jesus' deep love for his disciples and how he was going to show how perfect that love was. Jesus knew that Judas Iscariot was going to betray him. Then, there is this remarkable claim, "Jesus knew that the Father had put everything in his hands, and that he had come from God and was returning to God". Yet, despite this sense of his divine identity and mission - that he came from God and was returning to God - he took off his outer garment and bent down to wash the feet of the disciples! Although he knew of his high or divine status, Jesus chose to assume the lowly status of a slave in order to show how perfect his love was and to teach his disciples how they are to relate to one another as a sign to others of their love for one another. As I reflect upon Jesus' actions on this occasion, I think of Pope Francis' practice of going into prisons to celebrate Holy Thursday and washing the feet of young Muslim and Christian prisoners or people of no faith at all. It is a powerful symbol and so much needed in a world where the divisions between the obscenely wealthy and the desperately poor are so visible, where violence and outright warfare is being encouraged by political leaders who claim they are doing what is right and good! Let us hope it doesn't just remain a symbol but a deliberate challenge. May this Holy Thursday be a celebration of renewed hope as we remember once again how an enslaved people were determined to escape and reclaim their freedom and how Jesus did the unexpected and acted like a slave in order that his followers would learn that freedom comes through sacrifice and love through humble acknowledgement of the dignity of others.