14 April 2022
Holy Thursday
Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper
In reporting Jesus’ institution of the Eucharist, John reveals Jesus’ interior attitude. He is ready to give himself up to death. “He showed his love for his own to the end.” He then put into action this attitude by washing the feet of his friends, his apostles. It was the gesture of a servant, a slave.
He then mentioned that one of these special friends would betray him, all of the while continuing the meal with the unnamed traitor. The two shared the same plate that symbolized friendship and supposedly caused it to strengthen.
The other apostles did not seem to be too concerned with what Jesus said about being betrayed. They appeared to be more curious about who they traitor might be than by the consequences of his action. During the same meal, Jesus took bread, making it his body, to be an offering for all until he comes again.
It took the apostles some time to understand what all of these actions meant. It takes time for us now to understand the symbolic meaning of Jesus kneeling before human beings for us to understand his love for us and his offer of special friendship with the one who would betray him.