On this Holy Thursday, we relive that most special Passover of two thousand years ago.
On that night, just prior to His passion and death, Jesus left us with two very special gifts. He gave us the gift of Himself in the Eucharist and the gift of His Way in the example He set as He stooped down and washed His disciples’ feet.
And these two precious gifts are best when taken together, for it is only with Christ living within us that we can live up to the model of selfless humility that He demonstrated. And it is only by embracing a humble disposition that we allow Christ to grow in us more and more.
By offering himself and washing feet, Jesus is saying– here I am a servant for you – do this in memory of me – be a servant for others. So we open ourselves to Jesus in the Eucharist and we allow him to wash our feet. And then, with his grace working in us, we imitate him and offer ourselves to each other.
As we continue to walk with Jesus to the cross, we thank Him for these two great gifts and ask Him for the grace and strength to live the life that He calls us to.