Holy Thursday
Holy Thursday is an extraordinary time. Next to Easter, Holy Thursday is one of the most important days of the Church’s liturgical calendar. Holy Thursday commemorates two significant events; the first is the institution of the Eucharist, and the second is the institution of the ministerial priesthood.
The Eucharist, the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, is the commemoration of the saving acts of Christ at Calvary, celebrated tomorrow. In the Mass, Christ gives us His body, blood, soul, and divinity under the sign of bread and wine. Here we encounter Christ in his fullness, where his presence transforms us. Our belief and experience of the real presence allow us intimacy with Christ.
The ministerial priesthood becomes a gift of, in unique ways, Christ himself working in the world. The priest is called to act in persona Christi—in the person of Jesus Christ. At the Last Supper, Jesus gives a beautiful example of how to do so, the mandatum. Here Jesus washes the feet of the apostles and tells them to do the same, “I did not come to be served but to serve, and it shall be for you as well.”
Let us rejoice in the gifts of Christ’s body and His servants, allowing ourselves to be transformed into an image of Christ in the world.
Reflection by Fr. Etienne Huard, OSB
Posted in Articles for Lent, Daily Reflections, Lenten Resources