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| Prayer Before and Prayer After |
Meditation for Thursday
The Washing of the Feet and Institution of the Blessed Eucharist
“And whilst they were at supper, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and broke and gave to His disciples, and said: ‘Take ye and eat. This is My Body.’ And taking the chalice, He gave thanks and gave to them, saying: ‘Drink ye all of this. For this is My Blood of the new testament, which shall be shed for many unto remission of sins. And I say to you, I will not drink from henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I shall drink it with you anew in the kingdom of My Father.’ And a hymn being said, they went out unto Mount Olivet” (Matt. 26, 26–30).
First Prelude: In spirit enter the Cenacle, contemplate Jesus humbly washing the feet of His disciples, and hear from His adorable lips the sacred words which constitute the most wonderful proof of His infinite love.
Second Prelude: Give me grace, O Jesus, to understand Thy inexpressible love, that I may love Thee in return from the depths of my heart, and show my love for Thee by profound humility.
First Point
Jesus Sets Us the Example of the Most Profound Humility
What a touching spectacle,—Jesus kneeling down before His Apostles,—even before Judas,—and washing their feet! Consider, my soul, Who performs such a lowly service, usually imposed upon the meanest slaves and servants. The Incarnate God, the well-beloved Son of the heavenly Father, of whom St. John speaks on this occasion: “Knowing that the Father hath given Him all things into His hands and that He came from God and goeth to God” (John 13, 3), arises to wash the feet of His Apostles. With what reverence and devotion, with what astonishment may the angels, who assisted invisibly, have contemplated this affecting scene! We, too, will admire the most profound abasement of our Divine Saviour; and in spirit kneel at His feet, humbly acknowledging our unworthiness even to kiss those blessed hands, with which He washed the feet of His disciples. Like Mary Magdalene, let us offer Him our desire to lave His sacred feet with tears of compunction and love. Let us declare our readiness cheerfully to comply with His loving admonition to the disciples on this occasion: “If then I, being your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that as I have done to you, so you do also” (John 13, 14–15).
Let us ponder, for a moment, such unspeakable condescension and love! Popes, kings and princes deem it an honor, by washing the feet of the poor, to enter into the footprints of their Lord and Saviour. What humiliation should ever find me wanting, when I see the thrice holy God abasing Himself so profoundly in self-forgetting love? Holy Mother Church is glorified by countless religious orders, who make it their life-task to render the meanest services to the poor and the forsaken. In the humble offices of our holy vocation, let us ever again fix our eyes upon our Blessed Saviour and His lowly example, and seek to penetrate His loving sentiments. Humility and love render our heart acceptable to our Blessed Lord in Holy Communion. When Jesus washed the feet of His disciples before the institution of the Blessed Eucharist, did He not will to impress upon us that true humility and ardent love constitute the most fitting preparation for the heavenly Banquet? Dare I ever regard anything in the service of the Lord as lowly, when I behold my God and Saviour washing the feet of His disciples?
Second Point
Jesus Gives Us Proofs of the Greatest Love
Our Divine Saviour had said to His disciples: “Greater love than this hath no man than that he lay down His life for His friends” (John 15, 13). Such is the love Jesus bestowed upon us, yet that did not suffice for His infinitely loving heart! In His infinite wisdom, He found another, quite astonishing proof of His inexpressible love. He offered His life, to restore to us the life of grace. He gave us Himself in the Sacrament of His Love, to preserve and increase our supernatural life. In this sacred mystery He gave us all that He would give, wherefore St. John very aptly said: “Having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them unto the end” (John 13, 1). Finally, the great moment had come for which He had so long prepared His disciples, of which He had so often spoken, and which He now announced with the love-inflamed words: “With desire I have desired to eat this Pasch with you, before I suffer” (Luke 22, 15). Truly, the Eucharistic Banquet was worthy of the most ardent desire of the God-Man. Christ desired to eat It with His Apostles before His passion, that by union with Him they might be strengthened and prepared for sufferings. Hear His words: “This is My Body which is given for you” (Luke 22, 19). “This is My Blood which shall be shed for many unto remission of sins” (Matt. 26, 28).
Jesus thus offers Himself for the first time in an unbloody manner to the heavenly Father, and gives His sacred Body and priceless Blood to His disciples as nourishment. O love of my Jesus, O powerful, tender, generous, infinite love of my Saviour, nothing remains to Thee; Thou, O Jesus, hast loved us to the end. Thou hast instituted this adorable Sacrament to refresh our souls and to implant into our hearts the germ of immortality, which on the Day of Judgment shall unfold to the most glorious transfiguration of the body. How could it be possible for us not to desire Jesus, not to long for perfect union with Him in the Sacrament of His Love? Let us beseech Him to inflame our hearts with a grateful return of love, and to impress deeply therein the memory of His sacred passion, that we, too, will love to sacrifice ourselves in His service. Do I burn with a fiery ardor to be united with Jesus in Holy Communion? Am I animated with sentiments of humility and self-sacrificing charity, thus, in some measure, to requite His unbounded love?
Affections: O Divine Saviour, Who didst set me so wonderful an example in the washing of the feet of Thy disciples,—by Thy infinite merits, by Thy Precious Blood, I pray Thee for the grace to be inflamed with Thy holy love and saturated with Thy saving Blood. By sincere humility, let me share in the infinite treasures which Thou hast reserved for the truly humble, in the Sacrament of Thy Love. Oh, that we could worthily thank Thee, O Jesus, for the infinitely precious treasure of the Blessed Eucharist! Couldst Thou give us anything more precious than Thyself? Who can fathom the depths of Thy love! I, too, my Saviour, will give Thee all that I am and have. Let my oblation be pleasing to Thee by intimate union with Thy sublime sacrifice in the adorable Sacrament of the Altar. “O loving Pelican! O Jesus Lord! Unclean I am, but cleanse me in Thy Blood.”
Resolution: I will prepare my heart for Holy Communion by fervent acts of profound humility and ardent love.
Spiritual Bouquet: “With desire I have desired to eat this Pasch with you before I suffer.”
Prayer: Soul of Christ. . .
“And whilst they were at supper, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and broke and gave to His disciples, and said: ‘Take ye and eat. This is My Body.’ And taking the chalice, He gave thanks and gave to them, saying: ‘Drink ye all of this. For this is My Blood of the new testament, which shall be shed for many unto remission of sins. And I say to you, I will not drink from henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I shall drink it with you anew in the kingdom of My Father.’ And a hymn being said, they went out unto Mount Olivet” (Matt. 26, 26–30).
First Prelude: In spirit enter the Cenacle, contemplate Jesus humbly washing the feet of His disciples, and hear from His adorable lips the sacred words which constitute the most wonderful proof of His infinite love.
Second Prelude: Give me grace, O Jesus, to understand Thy inexpressible love, that I may love Thee in return from the depths of my heart, and show my love for Thee by profound humility.
First Point
Jesus Sets Us the Example of the Most Profound Humility
What a touching spectacle,—Jesus kneeling down before His Apostles,—even before Judas,—and washing their feet! Consider, my soul, Who performs such a lowly service, usually imposed upon the meanest slaves and servants. The Incarnate God, the well-beloved Son of the heavenly Father, of whom St. John speaks on this occasion: “Knowing that the Father hath given Him all things into His hands and that He came from God and goeth to God” (John 13, 3), arises to wash the feet of His Apostles. With what reverence and devotion, with what astonishment may the angels, who assisted invisibly, have contemplated this affecting scene! We, too, will admire the most profound abasement of our Divine Saviour; and in spirit kneel at His feet, humbly acknowledging our unworthiness even to kiss those blessed hands, with which He washed the feet of His disciples. Like Mary Magdalene, let us offer Him our desire to lave His sacred feet with tears of compunction and love. Let us declare our readiness cheerfully to comply with His loving admonition to the disciples on this occasion: “If then I, being your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that as I have done to you, so you do also” (John 13, 14–15).
Let us ponder, for a moment, such unspeakable condescension and love! Popes, kings and princes deem it an honor, by washing the feet of the poor, to enter into the footprints of their Lord and Saviour. What humiliation should ever find me wanting, when I see the thrice holy God abasing Himself so profoundly in self-forgetting love? Holy Mother Church is glorified by countless religious orders, who make it their life-task to render the meanest services to the poor and the forsaken. In the humble offices of our holy vocation, let us ever again fix our eyes upon our Blessed Saviour and His lowly example, and seek to penetrate His loving sentiments. Humility and love render our heart acceptable to our Blessed Lord in Holy Communion. When Jesus washed the feet of His disciples before the institution of the Blessed Eucharist, did He not will to impress upon us that true humility and ardent love constitute the most fitting preparation for the heavenly Banquet? Dare I ever regard anything in the service of the Lord as lowly, when I behold my God and Saviour washing the feet of His disciples?
Second Point
Jesus Gives Us Proofs of the Greatest Love
Our Divine Saviour had said to His disciples: “Greater love than this hath no man than that he lay down His life for His friends” (John 15, 13). Such is the love Jesus bestowed upon us, yet that did not suffice for His infinitely loving heart! In His infinite wisdom, He found another, quite astonishing proof of His inexpressible love. He offered His life, to restore to us the life of grace. He gave us Himself in the Sacrament of His Love, to preserve and increase our supernatural life. In this sacred mystery He gave us all that He would give, wherefore St. John very aptly said: “Having loved His own who were in the world, He loved them unto the end” (John 13, 1). Finally, the great moment had come for which He had so long prepared His disciples, of which He had so often spoken, and which He now announced with the love-inflamed words: “With desire I have desired to eat this Pasch with you, before I suffer” (Luke 22, 15). Truly, the Eucharistic Banquet was worthy of the most ardent desire of the God-Man. Christ desired to eat It with His Apostles before His passion, that by union with Him they might be strengthened and prepared for sufferings. Hear His words: “This is My Body which is given for you” (Luke 22, 19). “This is My Blood which shall be shed for many unto remission of sins” (Matt. 26, 28).
Jesus thus offers Himself for the first time in an unbloody manner to the heavenly Father, and gives His sacred Body and priceless Blood to His disciples as nourishment. O love of my Jesus, O powerful, tender, generous, infinite love of my Saviour, nothing remains to Thee; Thou, O Jesus, hast loved us to the end. Thou hast instituted this adorable Sacrament to refresh our souls and to implant into our hearts the germ of immortality, which on the Day of Judgment shall unfold to the most glorious transfiguration of the body. How could it be possible for us not to desire Jesus, not to long for perfect union with Him in the Sacrament of His Love? Let us beseech Him to inflame our hearts with a grateful return of love, and to impress deeply therein the memory of His sacred passion, that we, too, will love to sacrifice ourselves in His service. Do I burn with a fiery ardor to be united with Jesus in Holy Communion? Am I animated with sentiments of humility and self-sacrificing charity, thus, in some measure, to requite His unbounded love?
Affections: O Divine Saviour, Who didst set me so wonderful an example in the washing of the feet of Thy disciples,—by Thy infinite merits, by Thy Precious Blood, I pray Thee for the grace to be inflamed with Thy holy love and saturated with Thy saving Blood. By sincere humility, let me share in the infinite treasures which Thou hast reserved for the truly humble, in the Sacrament of Thy Love. Oh, that we could worthily thank Thee, O Jesus, for the infinitely precious treasure of the Blessed Eucharist! Couldst Thou give us anything more precious than Thyself? Who can fathom the depths of Thy love! I, too, my Saviour, will give Thee all that I am and have. Let my oblation be pleasing to Thee by intimate union with Thy sublime sacrifice in the adorable Sacrament of the Altar. “O loving Pelican! O Jesus Lord! Unclean I am, but cleanse me in Thy Blood.”
Resolution: I will prepare my heart for Holy Communion by fervent acts of profound humility and ardent love.
Spiritual Bouquet: “With desire I have desired to eat this Pasch with you before I suffer.”
Prayer: Soul of Christ. . .
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