Holy Thursday 2023

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 our family 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 I was not allowed to sit next to my twin brother!!!!!

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

For tonight, think about this phrase:

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!

HOLY THURSDAY tells us that there is a set place for you and me in the world as followers of CHRIST especially when we are nourished with his real presence in the forms of consecrated bread and wine.

Nourished in this sacramental way we become people set apart with HIGH STANDARDS for living in the world and to be other CHRISTS in the world. That is our PLACE in the world! It is wonderful to be able to live, grow, and act like Jesus. We are set apart as HOLY PEOPLE.

We also learn on this HOLY THURSDAY EVENING that we have a place in the world to perform humble service. This is shown to us as Jesus bent down to wash the feet of his apostles.

We are expected to be in this world acting as people of humble service.

CONCLUSION

Acting like other Christ’s; GENTLE – KIND – FORGIVING – ACCEPTING
AND
Acting in service to others, whether it is simply with our spouse, our siblings, and our neighbors is what this HOLY THURSDAY MASS is all about.

As we begin the HOLY TRIDUUM let us learn from the foot washing and the consecration of bread and wine to serve and to function as another Christ in the world.