It Shall Not Be So Among You – Holy Thursday – Sermon by Father Levine

Fr. Joseph Levine; Holy Family Catholic Church, Burns, Oregon; March 28, 2024

Do this in memory of me.

Some years passed between the day of Pentecost when the Apostles set out to fulfill Christ’s command to preach the Gospel to all nations and the time when the first book of the New Testament was written down. During that interval the Church fulfilled the command of Jesus given at the Last Supper, Do this in memory of me. Scott Hahn has observed that the original meaning of “New Testament” referred not to a book but to the Blood of Christ offered in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass – This is the chalice of my Blood, the blood of the new and eternal testament. Here lies the heart of sacred Tradition. This mystery was entrusted to the Apostles on Holy Thursday and passed on by them to the bishops and priests of the Church.

When the books of the New Testament came to be written, reference to the Body and Blood of Christ, experienced by the faithful in the Mass, was always present to their minds in the background. The Christ to whom the New Testament referred was the same Christ they knew, offered in the Mass and received in Holy Communion. The whole of what was revealed in Christ and written in the New Testament is embodied in the Holy Eucharist.

Do this in memory of me.

We do not know the details of the most primitive ritual; we know that the sacrament was instituted at a Passover meal; we know the words of consecration. We have also learned of the foot-washing and we have the precious words of Jesus’ farewell discourse recorded for us by St. John. We also know what it is we commemorate. The immediate historical reference of the Holy Eucharist is no longer the Jewish Passover but the Passover of Christ, foreshadowed indeed by Israel’s exodus from Egypt, but beginning at the Last Supper and brought to completion through his death, resurrection, and ascension into heaven. This is what we commemorate in the Mass, especially the death of Jesus, which is represented and offered in the separate consecration of his Body and Blood.

The ritual of Eucharist has been celebrated since Pentecost, but while the Lord’s example in today’s Gospel gave force to the Christian practice of foot-washing as an element of hospitality, it was not until many centuries later that it began to be developed as a liturgical ritual in connection with Holy Thursday. Indeed, in the Roman Rite, it was never incorporated into the Mass itself until 1955.

So Jesus action at the Last Supper was a symbolic gesture and a moral example, one that has many layers of meaning that is all part of the commemoration.

The first and most obvious meaning is that if the very Son of God humbles himself to wash the feet of his disciples, then no one should consider himself above the humblest work of service on behalf of another human being. Even more, if Jesus washed the feet of the traitor, Judas, we should be disposed to serve not only those whom the world despises, but those who are hostile to us, even those who like the traitor show us a false and insincere face. If Jesus washed the feet of the traitor, we should not regard ourselves as superior to anyone.

Yet, there are depths of meaning in the foot-washing that we can only grasp by understanding who Jesus is and by understanding the foot-washing in relation to the Holy Eucharist.

Consider not just what Jesus did, wash the feet of his disciples, but the whole of his movement recounted in this Gospel. He starts off, seated at the head of the table. He removes his outer garments, girds himself and moves to the feet of his disciples, putting himself below them. Then he puts his clothes back on and resumes his seat at the head of the table.

The trajectory of the foot-washing encapsulates the whole movement of the Son of God, coming down from heaven (the head of the table), being born of the Virgin Mary, being crucified and buried, rising from the dead, and returning to heaven, to take his seat at the right hand of the Father. So, it is significant that St. John introduces the narrative saying, fully aware that the Father had put everything into his power and that he had come from God and was returning to God, he rose from supper and took off his outer garment.

St. Paul described the same movement, as we heard on Palm Sunday: Though equal to God, Christ emptied himself, took the form of a slave – that is he assumed a human nature – and humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, death on a Cross. (cf. Ph 2:6-8) His “self-emptying” matches his removal of his outer garments, girding himself with a towel, speaks of his “humbling himself”. St. Paul continues to say that because of this God exalted him, bestowing on him the name above every name, so that every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. (cf. Ph 2:9-11) There he is seated again at the head of the table. Further St. Paul introduced this trajectory of Christ’s self-emptying and exaltation with the words, Have this mind among yourselves, which was in Christ Jesus. (Ph 2:5) This matches Jesus’ words, I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should do also. St. Paul, however, directs us immediately to the inner attitude from which the actions should proceed.

Now, at the Last Supper, this example was given immediately and directly to the twelve Apostles. There is a hierarchy of communication, for what was given to the Apostles at the Last Supper, is passed on from them to the Church, is passed on from priests to the faithful.

There is an incident that Matthew and Mark narrate, that took place shortly before Jesus entered Jerusalem, that gives us some important background for the Last Supper. The sons of Zebedee, James and John, had asked to sit one at Jesus’ right and the other at his left in his kingdom. (cf. Mt 20:20-27; Mk 10:35-45)

Jesus answered, inviting them rather to drink of the chalice from which he is to drink, alluding at once both to sharing in his suffering, and to the Holy Eucharist, and to their call to share in his priesthood.

The foot-washing at the Last Supper, through the movement from the head of the table to the feet of the disciples, and back to the head of the table, encapsulated Jesus’ self-emptying and subsequent glorification by his Father. This movement is also encapsulated in the Holy Eucharist, in which Jesus, now seated in glory at the right hand of his Father yet appears on this earth in a form so lowly that it can be compared to the towel with which he washed his disciples’ feet, in a form that always represents the self-emptying of his sacrificial death upon the Cross.

Further, he has elevated some men to the priestly dignity, so that they might follow him in his self-emptying service, coming thereby to share also in his glory. This basic movement is found in the life of the priest in the movement from altar to the confessional and back to the altar.

The other Apostles, however, on learning of what happened are upset by the ambition of James and John. This is why the Apostles in particular very much needed the example of the foot-washing.

Jesus responds: You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men make their authority over them felt. It shall not be so among you; but whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave; even as the Son of man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. (Mt 20:25-27)

This whole exchange is central to the way that the Lord is preparing his Apostles for the exercise authority in the Church, authority that goes hand in hand with celebrating the Eucharist; it is a lesson about the proper role and use of authority in general and for the Apostles in particular. It is the same lesson that he will later give them in the foot-washing.

Jesus sets forth a contrast between the “rulers of the Gentiles” who do not acknowledge the rule of God, and what is to hold among the Apostles and in the Church he has set on apostolic foundations.

St. Augustine, in introducing his master work “The City of God”, in which he contrasts the “City of God”, with its characteristic virtue of humility, to the “City of this world”, with its characteristic vice of pride, writes about “the city of this world, a city which aims at dominion, which holds nations in enslavement, but is itself dominated by that very lust of domination.” (City of God, Preface)

There we have a description of the godless “Rulers of the Gentiles” who lord it over others. The lust of domination is what characterizes those who seek power, authority, and rule in order to exalt themselves over others and press others down. The lust of domination is at the very heart of the serpent’s venom that has poisoned the human race. The problem is not authority, but the abuse of authority; the problem is not power, but the abuse of power.

Consider the foundational and necessary relationship of authority and power, that of a father in relation to his son. The abusive father, who is enslaved by the lust of domination, derives pleasure from controlling his son; his own self-image and self-esteem is built around having his son subject to his will, under his thumb; he might tell himself that discipline is necessary, that his son needs to learn obedience, that it is all for his own good, but it is all one-sided, when he punishes his son for the least infraction of his rather arbitrary rules and never really does anything to foster his son’s self-esteem, growth and maturity.

The good father imposes discipline, has rules, and requires obedience, but it is all for the sake of his son’s growth and maturity, he is truly acting as his son’s educator and teacher, building him up as a human being and a man. The rules are good rules, rooted in the truth, and the end result is that the son, through obedience to his father, grows into a mature and responsible young man, capable of entering into a good marriage, becoming a good father, and assuming his place in society.

The discipline of the abusive father produces slaves, who have been broken and subject to the domination of others, or rebels, who seek to overthrow another’s domination to establish their own. The discipline of the good father forms adults.

In teaching his Apostles, Jesus said, A disciple is not above his teacher, nor a servant above his master; it enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, the servant like his master. (Mt 10:24-25)

What does all this have to do with the foot-washing? Well, the foot-washing teaches everyone in authority that authority is not about self-exaltation, but about the service of others, helping the disciple to acquire the wisdom of the teacher, the servant to acquire the virtue of the master. The supreme teacher and master is Christ himself, so it is not about making another “like me” but helping another to grow in the likeness of Christ.

Again, let us consider the good father. I can think of a couple of friends, fathers of large families. When I visit for dinner, as the guest and the priest I am served first. That can be a bit frustrating because the father does not then sit down and join me, but first he helps make sure all his children are fed. Only then does he sit down and eat himself. There he is “washing the feet” of his children.

The foot-washing also speaks of forgiveness of sins, the little daily sins that we all commit – the foot-washing did Judas no good, but made his sin more grievous; so, communion does no good to one who is in a state of mortal sin, but only makes his sin more grievous. As for the good father, he must put up with a great deal from his children, even wonderful children. There are things he must correct, and other things that he must simply endure, and even when he corrects, with what patience must he often correct the same mistake or misdeed over and over. There he is washing his children’s feet.

Fatherhood is the foundation of brotherhood. Somehow, in our age of “equality” this basic fact of life is forgotten. Fathers have been cast out, together with their authority. Instead, we have sought to have a free society of equal brothers. It doesn’t work; everything falls apart, which is what we have been witnessing all around us in the world today. Of course, real brothers are not simply “equal”. There is always an order of age and when the parents are away for a time, they leave the oldest in charge. It is the father’s example, the way he uses his authority, that teaches the children how to relate to one another. If he lords it over his children, the older children will lord it over the younger children.

The world sets the “haves” against the “have-nots” in perpetual conflict. Among the disciples of Christ that must not be so. Everyone is in some way a “have”; everyone is in some way a “have-not”; everyone has something to give; everyone also stands in need of the service of others. So, from the foot-washing, by the one who is in authority, there follows the mutual foot-washing of all the brethren, as each one, rather than exalting himself on account of what he has, puts his gifts at the service of his brethren. This mutual foot-washing also involves the forgiveness of sins, as we forgive each other and bear each other’s burdens.

All this is what the Lord is teaching his Apostles, who are to exercise authority in his Church. This is what he is teaching his future priests who will come to share in the apostolic ministry. They must become like their master and teacher, so as to lead others also to become like Christ. They must be able to say like St. Paul, Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ. (1 Cor 11:1) Among the Apostles, there was indeed an “oldest brother”, St. Peter, to whom the Lord was referring when he said, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave. So his successor, St. Gregory the Great, identified himself as the “servant of the servants of God.”

For all this to take place, for all this to become a reality, Jesus himself had to give his life as a ransom for many, freeing us from our sins, and giving us the grace to be and to live as children of God. This brings us back to the mystery of the Holy Eucharist, the mystery of the Body and Blood of Christ, and the holy sacrifice of the Mass, the mystery that our Lord entrusted to the Apostles on Holy Thursday, and through them to his priests in every generation.

The mystery of the Holy Eucharist encapsulates both the foot-washing and Jesus’ new commandment, as I have loved you, so must you love one another. (Jn 13:34)

By giving to his Church, his Body and Blood, really, truly, and substantially contained beneath the appearances of bread and wine, Jesus hands over to his Church a living and perpetual memorial of his self-emptying and his life given in ransom for many. He gives us not only the example of his love, but the very sacrifice that frees us from our sins and from the lust for domination, that will conform us to its pattern, so that we might live it and fulfill it in our lives. Giving us the sacrament of his Body and Blood, he gives us both the sacrifice that sets us free and the communion that nourishes us and unites us to God. Giving us the sacrament of his Body and Blood he unites us to himself and through himself to God, while uniting us together in himself, so that rather than exalting ourselves, each one over the other, we might recognize ourselves each as members of the same body that we receive.