“…You should also do.”A Reflection on Holy Thursday

By. Fr. Joseph Jablonski, MSC

The Missionaries of the Sacred Heart USA Province305 S. Lake Street, PO Box 270 Aurora, IL 60507 (630) 892-2371 info@misacor-usa.org

It is so easy to ritualize the Lord’s command and stop there with solemn Church ceremonies.

However that isnot what we are

called to do.

We wash feet during the Liturgy of the Last Supper

and remember it was the beginning of his passion…

…“as I have done for you, you should also do”

Jesus’ washing of his disciple’s feet was not a simple

gesture of affection or of

ritual purification to be repeated in

ceremony;

it was to ordain his apostles and in a

way all of us into a life of loving

service to all of humanity

and done in such a way that it becomes

contagious.

The words of the Liturgy: “do this

in memory of me” are not

simply inviting us to ritual

celebration either.

“This ismy body…given upfor you…

DO this inMemoryof me.”

The command is to give our lives in love as we have received.

“This is the chalice of my

blood… poured out for

you and for many for the FORGIVENESS

of sins… DO this in memory of

me.”

The command is to forgive as we have been forgiven.

The Liturgy sends us forth to live what we have celebrated.

The procession with the Blessed

Sacrament reminds us that the Lord walks

with us and wants us to walk

into the world with him.

The altar of repose and adoration

invite us into ever deeper union

with him so that we may follow him through

death

to new life not only in ceremony, but in reality.

We hope you enjoyed this reflection.

If you would like to read other reflections byFr. Joseph Jablonski, please visit the SundayReflection page on our website, where youcan also sign up to receive Fr. Joseph’s weeklySunday reflection by email.

The Missionaries of the Sacred Heart USA Province305 S. Lake Street, PO Box 270 Aurora, IL 60507 (630) 892-2371 info@misacor-usa.org

Photo Credits• Slide 1: Photo © Ron Hohenhaus via www.istockphoto.com• Slide 2: Photo by Jiri Hoda via PublicDomainPictures.net • Slide 3: Photo © MShep2 via PublicDomainPictures.net • Slide 4: Photo from www.cruzblanca.org/hermanoleon• Slide 5: Photos from www.cruzblanca.org/hermanoleon• Slide 6: Photo © Dennis Hoyne via www.istockphoto.com• Slide 7: Photo from www.cruzblanca.org/hermanoleon• Slide 8: Photo © Dean Mitchell, via www.istockphoto.com• Slide 9: Photo © clearstockconcepts, via www.istockphoto.com• Slide 10: Photo by Daniel Wagner, nephew of Br. Joseph Tesar, MSC

(taken in Papua New Guinea)• Slides 11-12: Photos from www.cruzblanca.org/hermanoleon

Photos are for illustration only.

Photo Credits• Slide 13: Upper left photo (see slide 8). Other photos are of

members of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart (All Rights Reserved): – Upper right: Fr. Richard Kennedy, MSC teaching English to Grade 12 students

in Papua New Guinea– Lower left: Frank Natale, MSC and Br. Jim Miller, MSC, help organize books to

be donated– Lower right: Fr. Joseph Jablonski, MSC distributes emergency food supplies to

families in Colombia affected by the heavy flooding (January 2012)

• Slide 14: Photo from www.cruzblanca.org/hermanoleon• Slide 15: Photo © Lisa Thornberg via www.istockphoto.com• Slide 16: Fr. John Fahnestock, MSC stands with the brand new

mobile doctor’s office that he helped build. (All Rights Reserved)

Photos are for illustration only.

Photo Credits• Slide 17: Photo from www.cruzblanca.org/hermanoleon• Slide 18: Photo from www.cruzblanca.org/hermanoleon• Slide 19: Photo © Joshua Hodge Photography via

www.istockphoto.com• Slides 21-23: Background by Petr Kratochvil, via

www.PublicDomainPictures.net

Please note that any photos depicting people are of models, with the exception of three photos on slides 3 and the photo on slide 16, which depict members of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart USA Province.