reception of His Body and Blood, teaching us by this ceremony that we must wash our souls in the holy Sacrament of Penance before we receive Holy Communion. Secondly, our Lord desired by this washing of their feet to give to His apostles and to all Christians an example of humility and brotherly love. St. John (13, 3) says that Jesus washed the disciples’ feet “knowing that the Father had given Him all things into His hands, and that He came from God and goeth to God”. It was, therefore, in the full consciousness of His divine power and majesty that our Lord laid aside His upper garment, girded Himself with a towel, poured water into the basin, knelt down on the ground before each of His apostles, and washed their feet, as if He had been their servant! What self-abasement! What love! Let us remember that He gave us this example that we too might be humble and serve one another.
Virtues shown by St. Peter on this occasion. Humility. Love of our Lord. Obedience.
In commemoration of the washing of the feet, Bishops wash the feet of twelve poor men on Maundy-Thursday. This ceremony is called the Mandatum, i. e. the Commandment.
Application. You could show to others — to your parents, brothers, neighbours &c., far more love than you have hitherto shown. Consider no service or labour for them humiliating. Do it cheerfully, and in imitation of our dear Lord. Never say, when any disagreeable service is required of you: “Oh, such and such an one ought to do this”; but say: “Dear Lord, I will do it for love of Thee!”
Chapter LXV.
JESUS INSTITUTES THE MOST HOLY SACRAMENT.
[Mat. 26, 26—29. Mark 14, 22—26. Luke 22, 19 — 20.]
HAVING washed the feet of His disciples, Jesus sat down[1] again at table, and having loved His own, He loved them to the end” (St. John), i. e. to the end of all times. He desired with great desire to leave them an everlasting memorial and pledge
- ↑ Sat down. The sequence of the events of that evening is as follows: After sunset on Thursday, the vigil of the Pasch, which fell on Friday, our Lord ate the typical Paschal lamb with His apostles. After the Paschal feast He rose, washed the disciples’ feet, and then sat down again at table and instituted the Sacrament of His love, as the Pasch of the New Testament.
