By Archbishop Thomas Wenski - The Archdiocese of Miami
Archbishop Thomas Wenski washes the feet of a St. Mary Cathedral parishioner during the Mass of the Lord's Supper on Holy Thursday.
Archbishop Thomas Wenski washes the feet of St. Mary Cathedral parishioner Leoncio Santana during the Mass of the Lord's Supper on Holy Thursday. At left is Leoncio's wife, Marta Rodriguez, a catechumen who will receive the sacraments of initiation at the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday. The two will then receive the sacrament of matrimony on Sunday.
Deacon Raul Flores kneels and bows his head in prayer during the consecration.
With assistance from Deacon Raul Flores, Archbishop Thomas Wenski prepares to take the Eucharist to the Blessed Sacrament Chapel for adoration after the Mass of the Lord's Supper on Holy Thursday.
Acolytes lead the way as Archbishop Thomas Wenski takes the Eucharist to the Blessed Sacrament Chapel at the conclusion of the Mass of the Lord's Supper on Holy Thursday.
Archbishop Thomas Wenski prays in front of the tabernacle in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel at the conclusion of the Mass of the Lord's Supper on Holy Thursday.
Archbishop Thomas Wenski prays in front of the tabernacle in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel at the conclusion of the Mass of the Lord's Supper on Holy Thursday.
St. Mary Cathedral parishioners fill the Blessed Sacrament Chapel for adoration after the Mass of the Lord's Supper on Holy Thursday.
Photography: ANA RODRIGUEZ-SOTO | FC
Archbishop Thomas Wenski's homily at Mass of the Lord's Supper at St. Mary Cathedral in Miami. Thursday, April 13, 2017.
“Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.” These words are the key to our understanding what Jesus does tonight at this Last Supper. These words are the key to our understanding the Paschal Mystery that we commemorate in these next few days.
The Old Testament of the Law and the Prophets is fulfilled in the New Testament of Jesus, the Son of God. This fulfillment begins today at the Last Supper; it reaches its consummation tomorrow on Calvary, and on Sunday, very early in the morning, it finds its vindication. God has always refused to give up on his creation, despite its fall. No matter how far we have run away from God, we are never beyond the reach of his love. For he has loved us to the end.
Denyè moman Jezi pase avè n anvan yo touye l la chaje ak gwo koze, ak bèl jès, chaje ak mèvèy. Lè sa a, li mete tou sa ki nan kè l deyò pou li montre jouk ki pwen li renmen n. Lè sa a, li fete Fèt Pak Ansyen Kontra a yon dènye fwa ak zanmi l yo, fèt delivrans pèp Bondye a. An menm tan tou, li fè n antre nan yon Nouvo Kontra li ta pral siyen ak pwòp san l, Se nwit sa a, li mete lames kòm sèvis Nouvo Kontra a kote li ofri tou sa l ye bay Bondye Papa a, e kote li ban n manje pwòp kò l ak pwòp san l pou nou fè youn avè l. Se lè sa a tou, li lave pye zanmi l yo, pou l montre ki jan youn dwe renmen lot, pou l montre ki jan youn dwe sèvi lòt.
“Habiendo amado a los suyos que estaban en el mundo, los amó hasta el extremo”. Estas palabras son la clave para el entendimiento de lo que Jesús hace esta noche. Son la clave para que entendamos lo que pasa en estos días al celebrar el misterio pascual. Hoy, la historia del amor de Dios para con su creación llega a su cumplimiento. A pesar de nuestros pecados, Dios nunca se dejó por vencido. Lleva su amor hasta el final, dándonos una nueva alianza con un nuevo sacrificio y un nuevo mandamiento.
For the sacrifices of the old covenant – the offering of the blood of lambs – there is a new sacrifice and a new victim. The Old Testament priesthood is fulfilled in the one priesthood of Jesus Christ.
On Holy Thursday, his sacrifice offered on Calvary once and for all is anticipated at the Last Supper in the separate consecration of bread into his Body and wine into his Blood. Jesus becomes the Lamb of the New Covenant whose sacrifice is to be re-presented at every Mass until he comes in glory. Jesus tells his apostles: “Do this in memory of me.” With this Jesus assures that God will remain close to his people through the priests who, acting in “persona Christi capiti,” in the person of Christ the head, will continue to nourish and build up his body, the Church.
A new covenant – with a new sacrifice and a new priesthood – also entails a new commandment. Love one another as I have loved you. The ten commandments of the Old Testament could be summarized in the words, love God and love your neighbor as you love yourself. Here we can see how even the new commandment perfects the old one. For Jesus tells us not to love others as we love ourselves; rather, Jesus says love God as I love him, love your neighbor as I love him. And in commanding us in such a way, he doesn’t just say, do as I say; but do as I do. Jesus does not command us to love as he loved without giving us the means to do so in the sacraments of his new covenant.
El nuevo mandamiento perfeccionó la ley Antigua: pues aun en el Antiguo Testamento, Dios nos había mandado que amásemos a Dios sobre todas las cosas y también nos ordenó que amásemos al prójimo como a nosotros mismos. Pero ahora, Cristo nos dice: que se amen los unos a los otros como yo les he amado a ustedes. Sin embargo, si Cristo nos pide que hagamos algo, no nos deja sin los medios para hacer lo que nos pide. Así, para que cumplamos con su orden, nos da los sacramentos – para que en la medida que los recibimos con devoción podamos llegar a ser lo que recibimos. Comemos el Cuerpo de Cristo para poder ser como él. Recibimos los dones de sus sacramentos para que podamos lavar los pies de los demás, como el mismo lavó nuestros pies.
Shortly we will reenact the Washing of Feet. But could we not say that our priests wash feet in the Sacrament of Penance? Isn’t a good confession an experience of having the Lord himself remove the dirt of our sins from us with the purifying power of his goodness, his mercy – so that we might come to the table? God’s love really knows no bounds, but man can put a limit on it. That is certainly also remembered tonight in Judas’ betrayal. What was his betrayal but the rejection of love, of not wanting to be loved, of not loving. Such betrayals come about through human pride – and by thinking that what counts is not love but power and success. May nothing become more important than our communion with Jesus, nothing more important than God and his love.
Nan yon ti moman, n ap fè yon jès ki montre nou pran egzanp Jezi oserye – m ap lave pye 12 msyè tankou Jezi te fè pou patizan l yo. Jan Pap Benwa di: Jezi te lave pye zanmi l yo pou yo te kapab vin chita atab avè l, pou yo manje manje Granmèt la bay. Nan yon sans nou ka di vandredi ak samdi ki fèk pase a, pè nou yo te fè sa pou nou. Konfese yo tap konfesé nou yo tap lave tout salte peche n yo. Kè sansib Bondye a pa gen limit – depi se pa nou menm ki limit sou li jan Jida te fè lè l te trayi Jezi.
En esta Misa que nos recuerda la Última Cena que Jesús comió con sus apóstoles, vemos como Cristo nos amó hasta el extremo. Ese amor de Jesús se manifiesta hoy en tres regalos que él nos dio en ese Jueves Santo hace casi 2,000 años: el nuevo mandamiento, el sacerdocio, y el Sacramento de su Cuerpo y su Sangre.
Tonight, Christ’s love is manifested in three most marvelous gifts given to the world: the gift of the new commandment, the gift of his priesthood, and the gift of his precious Body and Blood in the Holy Eucharist.
"Habiendo amado a los suyos, los amó hasta el extremo.”
Li te deja renmen moun pa l yo, ki te sou tè a, li renmen yo jis nan dènye bout.”
“Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.”
