This day marks the beginning of the Sacred Triduum, opened by Jesus’ commandment at the Last Supper: the commandment of love, which stands at the very heart of his entire ministry. This mission flows from the Father’s great plan of love, revealed through the Incarnation: “God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.”
The Gospel tells us that, during the Last Supper with his apostles, Jesus knew that the Father had placed everything into his hands, and that he had come from God and was returning to God. The final hours of his earthly life were marked not by power, but by humility and service. He washed the feet of his disciples in an act of self-emptying love that must have deeply surprised them. This gesture anticipated the greater act he was about to accomplish: offering himself to his enemies and embracing the suffering of his Passion for the life of the world.
In this, Jesus fulfills what was foretold by the prophet Isaiah: he becomes the Suffering Servant, and the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. In the Passover meal, the lamb sacrificed became the food shared by those delivered from darkness and death. In the same way, on the eve of his sacrifice, Jesus gives himself to us.
Taking bread and wine, he transforms them into the enduring memorial of his saving sacrifice on the Cross. He becomes for us the Suffering Servant, the sacrificial Lamb, and the Bread of Life. Just as God fed his people with manna in the desert, he now nourishes us with a far greater gift, his own Body and Blood, remaining with us as the source of life and grace.
Saint Paul reminds us that “whenever we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim the death of the Lord.” This is the death that changed the world forever and brought hope to all humanity. The washing of the feet and the breaking of the bread are not only signs for us to admire; they are commands for us to follow. Jesus calls us to do as he has done: to serve one another with humility and to give ourselves generously for our brothers and sisters.
As we enter into these sacred days, we are invited not only to remember, but to live what we celebrate. The Eucharist we receive must become the love we share. Strengthened by Christ’s Body and Blood, may we learn to kneel in service, to love without counting the cost, and to offer our lives for others. In this way, we truly become disciples of the One who loved us to the end.
Scripture Readings:
Ex 12:1–8, 11–14 • Ps 116 • 1 Cor 11:23–26 • Jn 13:1–15