April 9/Holy Thursday
How shall I make a return to the LORD for all the good he has done for me? ~ Ps 116.12
With the advent of apps like Venmo, we can now repay small debts with a swipe of the screen. But squaring up with God is not quite so easy — in fact, it can’t be done. There is no adequate way we can “make a return to the LORD,” at least not directly. Instead, in the stirring liturgy for Holy Thursday, God shows us how He wants us to discharge our obligations: by humbling ourselves to serve others. Tonight, we see the LORD of all creation squatting down to bathe the dusty feet of his followers. How can each of us do likewise in this time of heightened need, as the corona virus continues to hold us in its thrall? For all those in medical care, for first responders, for those who continue to stock grocery shelves and pharmacies, who keep the basic machinery of our lives operating, you serve simply by doing your jobs — and we thank you. For the rest of us, how we “wash the feet” will vary. It might mean leaving groceries for an elderly neighbor, supporting our non-profits, being patient with antsy children or a stir-crazy spouse, finding ways to spread touches of humanity and love in the world. In Shakespeare’s King Lear, just after the vicious blinding of the Earl of Gloucester, a servant says, “I’ll fetch some flax and whites of eggs /To apply to his bleeding face.” This small gesture may seem insignificant against the vast sweep of the tragedy, but it is a pinpoint of light in the gaping darkness. In the face of great suffering and need, what we can give to the world, and thus to God, is our care and our love, even in their most mundane forms. That’s how we make a return to the LORD.
O Lord of all creatures great and small, May I readily stoop to conquer the evils of the world with small acts of love. Amen.
To hear “I Sing a Song of the Saints of God,” click here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kR2PDODbBfc
For today’s readings, click here: http://cms.usccb.org/bible/readings/040920-lord-s-supper.cfm
