The Catholic Calendar for Thursday, March 24, 2005
Holy Thursday

Scripture from Evening Mass of the Lord's Supper:
Exodus 12:1-8,11-14
Psalm 116:12-13,15-16
1 Corinthians 11:23-26
John 13:1-15

A reflection on today's Sacred Scripture:

As I have done for you, you should do also. . . . (see John 13:15)

The next three days in our liturgical calendar depict events which,
if properly understood and their truths followed, can transform our hearts and minds to change human life for the better. Their basic theme is God's infinite, unconditional love, a love He desires to instill in us so we may share it with one another. God, our Father, sent us His Son to fulfill that love perfectly in full sight of man through the total giving of Himself on the cross for our salvation. Sin, our willful failure to live in His love and truth, separates us from the all-holy God and renders us spiritually dead to Him.

Christ restores us to life by paying the penalty we deserved; He satisfied God's justice by putting our sin to death in His own human flesh. In other words, Jesus wiped the slate clean for us who have faith in Him and who sincerely follow God's living Word, His Christ. More wondrously, Christ's resurrection is God's offer to us of a new glorious life beginning now on earth and continuing in eternity with Him. We cannot accomplish this on our own through purely human effort. God knows our weakness and provides us the grace we need through His Holy Spirit. If we listen to and obey the Spirit, we will receive the wisdom and strength needed to live in Christ's resurrected (holy) life.

Today's Gospel demonstrates the humility of Christ, His willingness
to serve His people by performing the most menial, thankless and undesirable of tasks. Recall that He died for us. His washing of His disciples' feet illustrates that they must first be cleansed so that they can help wash from others' feet, the dirt they gather by walking in this world's sin.

Redeemer King, grant us the grace to be fully cleansed of our transgressions; teach us to live purely and so make Your kingdom visible on this earth and attract others to it. Amen.

- Marie Bocko, OCDS
(mlbocko at earthlink dot net)

____________________

These meditations are also available by email subscription
©1986-2005 The Way, The Truth, The Life