May the Lord bless you with grace and peace. It is 14th April 2022. We reflect on Exodus 12:1-8, 11-14; 1 Cor 11:23-26 and John 13:1-15. Remember to greet and pray for the priests whom you know, and love.
“Remember, I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” (Mt.28:20). The consoling, guiding, and healing presence of Jesus is in the Eucharist, the ministerial priesthood and service. One enhances the meaning and measure of the other. What we believe in the Eucharist is that we live in the priesthood and practice humble service.
The perpetual presence of Christ through God’s priests and their humble service and prayers for the community they serve is constantly and daily assured in the Eucharistic celebrations, in the person of a priest and his service to the suffering humanity.
Jesus commanded the followers to remember the Passover Meal. It is not just a routine, ritual, and traditional activity of a pious Jew but it is the visible gratitude we place before God.
The washing of feet by Jesus though it was symbolic but sets a tone for service. Let’s not remain ceremonial but deepen our level of service to stoop to the level of cleaning the mess of the others without any pride and arrogance.
Jesus presents a model for service and humility through the institution of the Eucharist, washing of the feet and silent service performed to the poor and needy ones.
The Eucharist is indeed a mystery that we need to believe because it offers us hope to love the other person however underserved they might be. We practice and demonstrate our humility and humanity by the act of service.
The enemies would attack us for being good, kind, gentle, and different in the community. It is the Eucharist that strengthens the vulnerable side of our humanity in believing in the Lord.
It is the day of the ministerial priesthood. The human touch with divine perception is the priesthood we all experience in every priest. There are thousands and thousands of priests who make silent sacrifices by going through so much personally without any advertisement, the anticlerical voices are heard so violently everywhere. Very seldom do we hear media and people appreciate the presence of a priest. Let us adopt a priest as our son, brother, and intercessor not just for one’s own family and friendship circle but for the welfare of the community. Even if you do not like them, or even they have disappointed you, please do love Christ in them in their brokenness, weakness, and failure. Let us not ignore the cry and pain of a priest as they belong to the Lord. Please forgive the priest who hurt you and pray for them to be better people. May the Lord continue to bless humanity through the Eucharist, the Priesthood, and the service. May God bless all the priests for all that they are to the Lord and God’s people and bless you for being generous, good, gentle with the priest encouraging and supporting them in every way possible.