DO THIS IN MEMORY OF ME

HOMILY FOR MAUNDY THURSDAY (MASS OF THE LORD’S SUPPER)

Rev. Fr. Ezekoka Peter Onyekachi

Today, we begin the highest point of the mystery of the Christian faith. We begin today the Paschal Triduum. The Paschal Triduum begins with the evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper and reaches its culmination in the Easter vigil, as it closes with the evening prayer of Easter Sunday. Today is known as Maundy Thursday. It is the Thursday of the Holy Week, known also as the Holy Thursday. It is the mass celebrated to commemorate the Lord’s Supper. There are two important events that are the focus of Maundy Thursday. Firstly, it commemorates the day Jesus had his last supper with the disciples, and therein instituted the Holy Eucharist, after which he commanded that it be done in memory of him. This forms the background of the Chrism Mass celebration wherein the Bishop blesses the oils of the sick, of Catechumens and of the Chrism, and wherein there is a renewal of the priestly promises. The Chrism Mass is actually a Holy Mass that celebrates the institution of the sacrament of Holy Orders which is the twin sacrament of the Eucharist. The morning section celebrates the Priesthood as the evening section celebrates the Eucharist; all in the same day.

Secondly, it commemorates the day Jesus washed the feet of his disciples, and therein showed the Eucharist and the Holy Orders as sacraments of service and ministration. The priest then is a servant who ministers at the altar of God as the Eucharist is the unction for the Christian ministration. Mind you, to minister is to serve. After the washing of feet, Jesus commanded that we do it as he has done it. The actions of Christ on this day all ended with a command to the disciples to prolong the act. Little wonder, Maundy as a word is derived from the Latin word for ‘command.’ Hence, Maundy Thursday calls to our mind the command of Jesus to prolong his life of sacrifice and service in the Eucharist. Unlike the Synoptic gospel writers, the Gospel of John has no account of the Last Supper. But we cannot because of this absence say that the institution of the Eucharist on this day has no popular attestation. The absence of the last supper is replaced with the Eucharistic gesture of washing of the feet, which opens our minds on how the Eucharist ought to transform our lives towards humility and service.

The Gospel (John 13:1-15) concludes with these wordings: for I have given you an example that you also should do as I have done to you. In the Eucharist, Jesus offers Himself. In the washing of the feet, Jesus shows us the importance of service and humility. So the Eucharist is a call on all Christians to offer oneself for the sake of others, as the washing of the feet is a call on all Christians to offer oneself in service. As He dies, Jesus leaves an instruction with his actions and commands that the disciples must continue in it. The example is in the principle. And this principle is that of love and sacrifice. We see the inseparability of the Eucharist and service in the readings of today.  The First (Exod. 12:1-18.11-14) is a prefiguration of the memorandum of the Eucharist in the New Testament. The injunction, this day shall be a memorial day and you shall keep it as a feast to the Lord coincides with the Second Reading’s (2 Cor. 11:23-26) do this in memory of me. All the three are in form of command to practice events that have happened but are significant for the future generation.

God wants us to maintain the legacy of his love for us. Jesus, in the Gospel left a super legacy that has lasted for thousands of years. He expects us to continue in such a legacy. However, we must go beyond the washing of feet to understand properly what we need to practice as Christians. Jesus by his action gave an example of humility, condescension, and love; so too we must exercise these virtues and interact with one another with such lifestyle and not seeking precedence over one another with an intimidating spirit or aura. The example is one of self-sacrifice up to the point of death. Thus, we must lay down our lives for one another. To live as to have legacies, we must follow this command of the Lord. This command must be seen in the exercise of grace, of lowliness, love, humility, patience, service and obedience.

We must ask these questions: What is your legacy? For what will you be remembered after your existence? Who and who will be so keen to maintain an action or instruction of yours after your earthly existence? Many of us work to be remembered for things that pass away. They tend to regard less those virtues that make us really humans. It is when we have lived well that we can unequivocally tell those behind us to make sure the legacy you have fought to maintain does not die off.

Everyone desires to be remembered after death. There is something in us that yearns to be remembered after we die. We desire our struggle not to be in vain. A man was dying and was on his deathbed. Many people were there sympathizing with him and giving him palliative care before he finally dies. He looked up gently and saw that all the sons and salesmen he had were there. He immediately asked: why are all of you here? Who is in the shop? This story may sound funny, but this tells us how mankind wants their effort to be prolonged and not trivialized. Think of it if this story had ended this way: and he looked up gently and saw all the sons and salesmen, and smiled to them with these words –Never depart from the good you have learnt from me for I have fought well.

The problem is that some people lived in delusion of having many disciples here on earth and would even think that people would prolong their existence and maintain the legacies they thought they may have left, only for everything to crumble after their death. If wishes were horses, many merchants who struggled and became so rich here on earth would like to incarnate in their sons and daughters so as to maintain the family empire, business or legacy they have fought to keep. Some others too having seen the type of sons they have are tempted to sell off what they have as they die. A man was dying and was weeping heavily. His weeping attracted so much attention that when he was questioned, he said: I have no children to maintain all I fought for and got in life. Seeing the children’s waywardness who eagerly awaited his death, he had to instruct the lawyer to sell all his property and donate the fund to a charity organization, leaving only the house of domicile. No one wants his effort to be rubbished.

If this happens in the material world, come to think of it what happens in the spiritual realm? If we try to convert these attitudes to become spiritual, then every one of us would struggle to live a good life so as to be remembered for it. There is some form of contentment in death if one is sure that he/she has touched many lives positively. There are also regrets and pains if one sees that he has maimed many lived negatively. Jesus was sure of what he has done and how he has acted. He had the courage to tell the followers to continue with what he has left for them, because he knows that in it is power, and living our lives by this instruction gives us the same courage and equanimity with which Christ embraced death. The way we live must confront us in the face of death. May the Last supper of Christ be our strength in our last days. Amen.