Holy Thursday 2022

INTRO

+ When we were kids …. there was a set place for each of us at the dinner table. I was always to the right of my father…. I was a S L O W – eater and he could help me speed things up!!!

+ When we went to church there was a set place at Mass. We sat in the 17th row, down the center aisle of our family church!! And the twins were separated by a MOM or a DAD!!!!

+ Even you out there … I can almost take attendance knowing were many of you sit, TABERNACLE side, HOLY FAMILY side, CENTER aisle!!!!

AMAZING, but think about it:

THERE IS A SET PLACE FOR YOU AND ME.

AND I mean MORE THAN just in the pew or at a dinner table!

I mean IN THE WORLD.

There is a set place for you and me in the world as followers of CHRIST and nourished by Christ. That is important for tonight and this MASS OF THE LORD’S SUPPER. We are the people that are set with HIGH STANDARDS to be other CHRISTS in the world, because of what we eat at this sacred liturgy and what we witness with the foot washing ritual!

Because we HAVE eaten this bread YOU AND ME ARE EXPECTED TO BE DIFFERENT IN THIS WORLD, set apart as a HOLY PEOPLE and challenged as PEOPLE of SERVICE. Yes, we are to be a HOLY PEOPLE and PEOPLE OF SERVICE to others!

The “washing of feet” …. at this special HOLY WEEK liturgy shows us that we are expected TO CHANGE THE WORLD.

to be of help and service to those around us, as JESUS did, in the best ways we can having been nourished at this altar with the consecrated bread and wine of JESUS.

From this altar you receive His REAL PRESENCE. We have done this in memory of HIM to nourish ourselves so that we can change our world as HE would want us to do.

Kindness to another
No judging
Seeking out where we can serve our brothers and sisters
Build up their lives with our presence
Offering our talents and treasures to them
Doing what is asked of us. “Right away.”

That is what CHRIST ON THE CORNER, our parish day of service, is all about … being nourished by holy communion to be the hands and feet of JESUS to serve others in our community.

CONCLUSION

Yes, we are seated in the right place tonight and YES, we are expected to change the world through our service. May the reception of Jesus in the EUCHARIST and the example of JESUS influence us in many great ways.