Holy Thursday Year C - 2010

 
On Holy Thursday it is indeed fitting that we mediate on freedom.

In the first Reading we read that
the Israelites longed for freedom.

They longed to be free from their slavery to the Egyptians.
They longed to be free to live like God’s people and follow God’s law.

To gain their freedom from the Egyptians
Moses instructed each Israelite family to purchased a lamb and prepare it in a special way.

They were to sprinkle the blood of the Lamb on the door post of their houses and once it was cooked eat it standing.

As the Angel of the Lord passed over the houses of the Egyptians the first born of every household was killed in retribution for the sins of the Egyptians.

When the Angel of the Lord passed over the houses of the Israelites The blood of the lamb which was sprinkled on the door posts freed them from the same tragic fate.

Hence the day became known as Passover because the Angel of the Lord passed over and no harm was done to God’s People.

The Israelites were indeed freed by the blood of the Lamb.

In the second reading
we read about the Jesus the Lamb of God,
who took bread and wine,
blessed it and shared with his disciples saying
“this is my Body and this is my blood.”

Once again we hear about the blood of the lamb though this time the lamb is Jesus.
And we learn that the blood of Jesus frees us from the slavery of our sins.

The body and blood of the Lamb of God, strengthens us in our ability to live good and holy lives.
The body and blood of Jesus the Lamb of God reminds us of Gods loving presence in our lives.


Because of the gift of the Eucharist
we are never alone,
we are never alone,
it is impossible for us to ever be alone.

At every hour of the day on the Earth and for all time
the Eucharist is celebrated and Christ is  made present among us in his body and in his blood.
And so once again we are freed from loneliness and freed from sin because of the body and blood of the Lamb of God.

Finally in the Gospel Jesus also teaches us about a new freedom,
freedom from pride,
freedom from selfishness,
freedom from becoming lost in ourselves, our own problems,
our own wants and our own needs.

In the Gospel today at the Last supper Jesus, the Rabbi, the teacher
Jesus the Messiah, the Son of God
gets up from table and removes his outer garment.

Then he kneels before each one of his Apostles and he humbly washes their feet.
In doing so he teaches them once more how to be free.

When you wash someone’s feet you can’t be arrogant
When you are willing to wash someone else’s feet you won’t worry or quarrel about who is the greatest or the more important.

Jesus knows that only when we are humble enough to wash each other’s feet will we be free enough to love,
free enough to put our own needs aside,
and free enough to pour out our lives in loving service.
A proud man,
a selfish man,
will never find the strength and the courage to wash someone else’s feet or 
lay down his life for a friend.

Yes Holy Thursday is indeed about freedom freedom from slavery to sin,
freedom from Isolation and loneliness,
freedom to live in Holy Communion with the Body and Blood of Jesus,
freedom from selfishness and
freedom to love.

These are the gifts of the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.
These are the gifts which the Church calls us to we remember and  meditate on this Holy Thursday and every Holy Thursday.

Let us always desire to be free in Christ Jesus
Amen.