Holy Thursday - No Morning Mass is allowed this day - the only Mass to be celebrated is in the evening when we celebrate the Mass of the Last Supper. At this Mass we do three very important things 1) we wash feet 2) we celebrate the institution of the Priesthood and 3) we celebrate the institution of the most Holy Eucharist.
Just as Jesus did - Reverend Father will remove his priestly garment - the chasuble - and in an act of humility - will wash the feet of twelve men - modern day disciples - as a sign of our universal call to share in the Royal Priesthood of Christ. As our spiritual Father - Reverend Pastor acts as a role model for each of us to be an active - yet humble - servant of God.
In his homily this evening Reverend Pastor will remember the Last Supper at which Jesus did two special things. First he took bread and proclaimed that it was his body and then the cup of wine and proclaimed it his blood and in doing so performed the first consecration of unleavened bread and ordinary wine and - through the mystery of transubstantiation - made them into His Most Holy Body and Precious Blood.
After Jesus had completed this act of mystery he told his disciples to do the same and in that action he commissioned them and gave them the power and authority to perform this action over and over again as they gathered and remembered - thus was the first ordination and creation of Holy Priesthood.
As we sit and stand and kneel during this very special Holy Mass this evening we are allowed the privilege of remembering and recreating that very special Last Supper. This is the beginning of The Paschal Triduum - the three Most Holy days of the Church year - and our time to be united with Jesus in His pain and suffering - His Passion and crucifixion - His resurrection and victory over Death - as we pray in vigilant fervor for His rising at Easter.
Deacon Dale
Just as Jesus did - Reverend Father will remove his priestly garment - the chasuble - and in an act of humility - will wash the feet of twelve men - modern day disciples - as a sign of our universal call to share in the Royal Priesthood of Christ. As our spiritual Father - Reverend Pastor acts as a role model for each of us to be an active - yet humble - servant of God.
As we sit and stand and kneel during this very special Holy Mass this evening we are allowed the privilege of remembering and recreating that very special Last Supper. This is the beginning of The Paschal Triduum - the three Most Holy days of the Church year - and our time to be united with Jesus in His pain and suffering - His Passion and crucifixion - His resurrection and victory over Death - as we pray in vigilant fervor for His rising at Easter.
Deacon Dale
