The Easter Triduum holds a special place in the Church’s Calendar, proclaiming again the passion, death and resurrection of Christ on Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Sunday.
Maundy Thursday: A Lesson about Love
This Maundy Thursday, as we commemorate the Last Supper of our Lord, the Washing of the Disciples' Feet
and the gift of the Eucharist, I would like to offer you another poem called "GOD IN AN APRON" by a Benedictine, Sister Macrina Wiederkehr, OSB.
The poem I have included here meditates on Jesus' example of Leadership and Service through the powerful act of washing His Disciples' the feet after the Last Supper.
Though this example, Jesus gave His new commandment of Love and called on us, His followers, to wash each other's feet. In this time of crisis we need, more than ever, to, in our hearts, wash each other’s feet: to love and to be of service to others especially the downtrodden, the discriminated, and the poor.
It is the prayer of the readers of this poem that all Christians may find time to pray for others -- especially those inflicted with COVID-19 -- and to serve others through whatever means they can; to wash the feet of those in need "not because they have to / but because they want to."
Not my will but thine be done.
Suddenly
the One we loved startled us all
He got up from the table
and put on an apron.
Can you imagine how we felt?
God in an apron!
Tenderness encircled us
as he bowed before us.
He knelt and said,
“I choose to wash your feet
because I love you.”
God in an apron, kneeling
I couldn’t believe my eyes.
I was embarrassed
until his eyes met mine
and I sensed my value.
I can still feel the water
I can still feel the touch of his hands.
I can still see the look in his eyes.
Then he handed me the towel and said,
“As I have done so you must do.”
Learn to bow, Learn to kneel.
Amen.
Good Friday
A Christian Prayer at 3 o’clock on Good Friday
Jesus, you are my Lord and my God,
you endured such pain and suffering for me,
you died for love of me. I kneel beneath your cross and beg for mercy. Lord, have mercy on me, a sinner. O blood and water flowing from your side, sanctify and cleanse me. Lord, I love you with all my heart and place all my trust in you. Amen
Easter Sunday
I remember last year, in a nearly empty St. Peter's Basilica, Pope Francis celebrated Easter in virtual solitude on Sunday, calling for the world to come together in the face of the coronavirus pandemic. Francis likened the current adversity to the hardship Europe faced rebuilding after World War II.
"This continent was able to rise again, thanks to a concrete spirit of solidarity that enabled it to overcome the rivalries of the past," Francis said. "It is more urgent than ever, especially in the present circumstances, that these rivalries do not regain force, but that all recognise themselves as part of a single family and support one another." And so, as a single family, supporting each other, let’s rejoice today that there is new HOPE in the face of all that has gone before.
