Holy Thursday, Evening Mass of the Lord's Supper, 17 April 2014, John 13:1-15

Pope Francis - Foot washing, Holy Thursday 2013

Having begun the Easter Triduum, as we have, it may be good to take a moment to reflect on what we are doing. The Triduum (lit. 'three days') is really one liturgy. This is emphasized by the fact that this evening’s celebration concludes in silent prayer before the Altar of Repose, rather than with the final blessing and dismissal of Mass. We are not dismissed at the end of this celebration, rather, we 'put the liturgy down', so to speak.

Tomorrow’s celebration takes up where today's leaves off. Very unusually, tomorrow’s celebration does not begin with the customary blessing and greeting, and not even with an opening hymn, but rather takes up the liturgy with a Collect (Opening/Gathering Prayer). There is a blessing at the end of the celebration but, again, no dismissal. On the third day, the Easter Vigil begins with our gathering at, and the blessing of, fire.

And finally, the dismissal we have been waiting for comes! And this is not about the conclusion of a liturgy, but rather is a real comissioning. The one liturgy in three celebrations over these three days culminates in our being sent out.

So, what is liturgy? It is both the public act of worship of God and the primary means of communicating to people what God has done, is doing, and will do, for us. We may often approach the liturgy from the first dimension of worship, but forget the second dimension, that is God communicates with us in the liturgy as well.

How does God communicate to us in the liturgy? Primarily through word and symbol, sacrament and sign. All of these actions and words are done by people on behalf of God. The liturgy is then both an action of God right now, and also an action of his holy people. For that reason, participation is not just a nice idea, but rather a real necessity. God is not primarily communicating with us in any other way; through private revelation, in our minds or through some other way. In the liturgy, God communicates with us.

This evening’s celebration, the first of the three, serves to remind us of our immediate roots in the people of Israel. What they did with a lamb, Christ did with his own body and, at his instruction, we continue to do, as a memorial, until he comes. Christ is our passover. He is the lamb that sets us free from the angel of death. As we will sing in two days time: “These then are the feasts of Passover, in which is slain the Lamb, the one true Lamb, whose blood anoints the doorposts of believers.” (Exsultet) The reference to Christ as lamb, and compared strongly to the lamb of sacrifice that we heard this evening from Exodus, is unmistakable. Christ is our passover.

How then are we to be prepared for this passover? What instructions do we have? What does this evening’s celebration point us towards?

Over the three days, we use many symbols. Water, the Cross, Fire, Light. Today we will use water in a unique way, unlike any other use of water in the liturgy. We will re-enact Jesus’ washing of the disciples feet. This does two things. Firstly, it reminds each of us of the washing of baptism. The word ‘baptism’ means to wash, or cleanse. The Jewish people were minded to wash on return from the market place, before eating a meal, and for many other reasons. Secondly, Jesus’s washing of the disciple’s feet serves as a threshold moment. By this symbolic action, Jesus invites his disciples to come in out of the market place, the place where the gospel must be proclaimed, to come in in to his own house. A deeper entering into following Christ. This is not a head moment. It is even not a heart moment. It is a foot moment. As far away from your head as you can go.

So, if your head cannot make sense of it, and your heart is not in it, sometimes you just have to walk through it.

This is very much what a retreat moment is all about. It is a retreating from the necessary proclaiming of the gospel in the marketplaces of Christ’s mission. This liturgy we celebrate this evening invites us to step aside and to be prepared for a deeper discipleship, a deeper following of Christ in our own lives, a renewed understanding of the reason and meaning of the missions entrusted to us.

The washing of our feet is a washing away of the cynicism that clings to us, the disillusionment that haunts us. It is a preparation for Christ’s mission in the Church and to the world, by first participating in Christ’s mission in my own life.