English
Mass of the Lord’s Supper
Tonight in this Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper, we commemorate the institution of two sacraments: the Holy Eucharist and the Priesthood. Of course, the two go together because Jesus instituted the priesthood so that the sacrament of the Eucharist could be celebrated until the end of time. The Eucharist, instituted in the context of the Passover meal, makes present sacramentally Christ’s sacrifice on the cross, the act through which he saves us from death by his death for the forgiveness of our sins. As St. Paul says when commenting on the institution of the Eucharist to the Corinthians, “For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes.” Christ gives the priesthood and the Eucharist to the disciples at the Last Supper in anticipation of what will happen on Good Friday and Easter Sunday so that the graces of the death and resurrection of Jesus can be made available to us today every time the sacrament is celebrated. Through his death and resurrection, Jesus will “pass over” to the Father. It is our communion with this mystery through the sacraments that we are liberated from sin, selfishness, and Satan, and are strengthened on our “pilgrimage to the Lord” - that we can pass from death to life into the “promised land” of heaven. We do not hear the institution of the Eucharist in the Last Supper account in John’s Gospel, but he gives us instead the account of Jesus washing the feet of the disciples. The language that John uses to describe Jesus “taking off his outer garments” and then “putting his garments back on” after the washing of the feet is the same language used when Jesus tells the disciples that he will “lay down his life” and “take it up again.” The taking off of his garments and putting them on again after washing the feet of the disciples symbolizes the laying down of his life for the forgiveness of our sins and then rising from the dead - coming back to life. The humble act of foot washing, normally done by a slave, symbolizes the humiliation of the Cross, how Jesus, “taking the form of a servant”… humbled himself and became “obedient unto death, even death on a cross.” Just like he does with the bread and the cup, in this gesture of foot washing, Jesus is telling the disciples what he will do on Good Friday. “This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” He tells the disciples after washing their feet, “I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do.” Jesus washing Peter and the disciples parallels the scene of Moses washing Aaron and his sons on the day of their consecration to the priesthood. When Peter objects to having his feet washed, Jesus says, “If I do not wash you, you have no part in me.” The ordination to the priesthood gives us a part or a share in Christ’s one priesthood. What Jesus says next about “bathing” - “He who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet…” speaks to the distinction between Baptism, which washes away every stain of sin - both actual and Original, and the Sacrament of Reconciliation, which cleanses us of the accumulated dust of sins committed after our baptismal washing. The disciples are not only to celebrate the sacraments but to conform their lives to his - to pattern their lives on his - to do what he does. This commandment to fraternal charity is not only for priests but for all who call themselves Christian - for all the baptized - those who have been washed clean by the Blood of the Lamb and now share in the mission of Christ as priest, prophet, and king. We will renew our baptismal promises on Easter Sunday.
Jesus says to Peter, “What I am doing, you do not understand now, but you will understand later.” Jesus says something very similar to Peter a little later on at the supper when he gives them the new commandment of love: “love one another; even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.” Peter asks Jesus where he is going. Jesus says, “Where I am going you cannot follow me now, though you will follow later.” Peter promises to lay down his life for Jesus. Jesus says, “Will you lay down your life for me?” Then he foretells Peter’s denial. Peter cannot follow Jesus - lay down his life for Jesus because Jesus has not yet laid down his life for Peter. This interchange between Peter and Jesus reminds us that we cannot give unless we first receive. Our following of Jesus - our living out the command to love - is only possible if we first receive his love - allow ourselves to be loved and live in communion with the love of Christ crucified and risen for us. Unless we receive that love, what we promise to God is only wishful thinking or presumption on our part. We do not understand until we live what we have received and experience a love in us that is greater than our own strength. Jesus says to the disciples after washing their feet, “Do you realize what I have done for you?” Do we realize what Jesus has done for us? Following Jesus is not the fruit of our own ingenuity or strength or study - following a set of commandments. It is not the fruit of our own sacrifice, but a response to the love God has for us. We receive the fruit of Christ laying down his life for us - his love - his very self - in the Eucharist. So many of us as Christians think that our progress in the life of virtue comes from “working harder”, but it comes rather from receiving God’s love and allowing him to work in us. Jesus comes to us as “food” - the “bread of life”. He feeds us with his life, and unlike normal food that is assimilated into our body, when we receive the Eucharist, we are assimilated into the Body of Christ, we become more like him. As St. Augustine said, “we become what we receive.” When I think about what really changed my life and moved me to the priesthood, it was not an analysis of my gifts and talents and what would make a good career for me. It wasn’t even a desire on my part to “be a better person”. What changed my life was when I began to go to Mass every day and listen to the scriptures. I found myself becoming a better, more charitable person - a more humble person willing to serve others. I came to realize what Jesus had done for me. It was not through a study of the scriptures or reading the catechism but from a lived experience and becoming aware of how living in communion with Jesus changed me. This morning at the Chrism Mass, the Archbishop spoke about the fragrance of the holy oils - especially the sacred chrism with which were were anointed at our baptism, confirmation, and ordination as priests. Have you ever noticed how we can become desensitized to an odor if we’ve been immersed in it for a while, including a good smell - e.g., the smell of a meal cooking. We don’t notice it any more. In a sense we “forget” the fragrance. The solution is not to pump more fragrance into the room but to “remember” the newness of the scent. Our sin is forgetting or taking for granted what Jesus has done for us. We are saved by memory - “do this in remembrance of me” and allowing Jesus to wash our feet when the dust of sin builds up in our lives. Let’s thank the Lord for the gift of the Eucharist and the gift of the priesthood, and realize what Jesus has done for us!
Spanish
Misa de la Cena del Señor
Esta noche, en esta Misa vespertina de la Cena del Señor, conmemoramos la institución de dos sacramentos: la Sagrada Eucaristía y el Sacerdocio. Por supuesto, ambos van unidos, pues Jesús instituyó el sacerdocio para que el sacramento de la Eucaristía pudiera celebrarse hasta el fin de los tiempos. La Eucaristía, instituida en el contexto de la cena pascual, hace sacramentalmente presente el sacrificio de Cristo en la cruz; aquel acto mediante el cual nos salva de la muerte a través de su propia muerte, para el perdón de nuestros pecados. Como afirma San Pablo al comentar la institución de la Eucaristía ante los corintios: «Pues cada vez que coméis este pan y bebéis esta copa, proclamáis la muerte del Señor hasta que Él venga». Cristo entrega el sacerdocio y la Eucaristía a los discípulos durante la Última Cena, anticipando lo que ocurrirá el Viernes Santo y el Domingo de Pascua, para que las gracias de la muerte y resurrección de Jesús puedan estar a nuestra disposición hoy, cada vez que se celebra este sacramento. A través de su muerte y resurrección, Jesús «pasará» hacia el Padre. Es mediante nuestra comunión con este misterio, a través de los sacramentos, que somos liberados del pecado, del egoísmo y de Satanás, y somos fortalecidos en nuestra «peregrinación hacia el Señor», para que podamos pasar de la muerte a la vida, entrando en la «tierra prometida» del cielo. En el relato de la Última Cena que nos ofrece el Evangelio de San Juan, no encontramos la narración de la institución de la Eucaristía; en su lugar, Juan nos presenta el episodio en el que Jesús lava los pies a sus discípulos. El lenguaje que emplea Juan para describir cómo Jesús «se despoja de sus vestiduras exteriores» y, posteriormente, «se las vuelve a poner» tras el lavatorio de los pies, es idéntico al lenguaje utilizado cuando Jesús anuncia a sus discípulos que «entregará su vida» y que «la volverá a tomar». El acto de despojarse de sus vestiduras y volver a vestirse con ellas tras lavar los pies de los discípulos simboliza la entrega de su vida para el perdón de nuestros pecados y su posterior resurrección de entre los muertos: su retorno a la vida. El humilde gesto del lavatorio de los pies —tarea que habitualmente realizaba un esclavo— simboliza la humillación de la Cruz; nos muestra cómo Jesús, «asumiendo la condición de siervo»... se humilló a sí mismo, haciéndose «obediente hasta la muerte, y una muerte de cruz». Tal como hace con el pan y la copa, en este gesto del lavatorio de los pies, Jesús les está diciendo a los discípulos lo que hará el Viernes Santo. «Este es mi cuerpo, que se entrega por ustedes. Hagan esto en memoria mía». Después de lavarles los pies, les dice a los discípulos: «Les he dado un modelo a seguir, para que, así como yo he hecho con ustedes, ustedes también lo hagan». El acto de Jesús lavando a Pedro y a los discípulos guarda un paralelismo con la escena de Moisés lavando a Aarón y a sus hijos el día de su consagración al sacerdocio. Cuando Pedro se opone a que le laven los pies, Jesús le dice: «Si no te lavo, no tienes parte conmigo». La ordenación sacerdotal nos otorga una parte —o una participación— en el único sacerdocio de Cristo. Lo que Jesús dice a continuación sobre el «baño» —«El que se ha bañado no necesita lavarse, salvo los pies...»— alude a la distinción entre el Bautismo, que borra toda mancha de pecado —tanto el actual como el Original—, y el Sacramento de la Reconciliación, que nos limpia del polvo acumulado de los pecados cometidos después de nuestro lavatorio bautismal. Los discípulos no solo deben celebrar los sacramentos, sino también conformar sus vidas a la de Él —modelar sus vidas según la Suya—; deben hacer lo que Él hace. Este mandamiento de caridad fraterna no es solo para los sacerdotes, sino para todos aquellos que se llaman a sí mismos cristianos —para todos los bautizados—: aquellos que han sido lavados y purificados por la Sangre del Cordero y que ahora comparten la misión de Cristo como sacerdote, profeta y rey. El Domingo de Pascua renovaremos nuestras promesas bautismales.
Jesús le dice a Pedro: «Lo que estoy haciendo, no lo entiendes ahora, pero lo entenderás más tarde». Jesús le dice algo muy similar a Pedro, un poco más tarde, durante la cena, cuando les entrega el nuevo mandamiento del amor: «Ámense unos a otros; así como yo los he amado, ámense también ustedes unos a otros». Pedro le pregunta a Jesús adónde va. Jesús le responde: «Adonde yo voy, no puedes seguirme ahora, aunque me seguirás más tarde». Pedro promete entregar su vida por Jesús. Jesús le pregunta: «¿Entregarás tu vida por mí?». Entonces, le predice la negación de Pedro. Pedro no puede seguir a Jesús —no puede entregar su vida por Jesús— porque Jesús aún no ha entregado su vida por Pedro. Este diálogo entre Pedro y Jesús nos recuerda que no podemos dar a menos que primero recibamos. Nuestro seguimiento de Jesús —nuestro vivir el mandamiento del amor— solo es posible si primero recibimos su amor: si nos permitimos ser amados y vivimos en comunión con el amor de Cristo, crucificado y resucitado por nosotros. A menos que recibamos ese amor, lo que prometemos a Dios no es más que una ilusión o una presunción por nuestra parte. No comprendemos hasta que vivimos aquello que hemos recibido y experimentamos en nuestro interior un amor que es mayor que nuestras propias fuerzas. Jesús dice a los discípulos, después de lavarles los pies: «¿Comprenden lo que he hecho por ustedes?». ¿Comprendemos nosotros...?