Jesus Bridges the Old and the New

~~~ Holy Thursday ~~~

 

~~Exodus 12:1-8, 11-14~~Psalm 116~~1 Corinthians 11:23-26~~John 13:1-15~~

 

Before the feast of Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come
to pass from this world to the Father.
He loved his own in the world and he loved them to the end.

 

Jesus carefully begins his passion with the traditional Passover meal.

He had undoubtedly participated in this important

historical meal previously many times.

The feast of the Passover was to remember the saving from the Angel of Death.

 

The story of Passover is told in the Book of Exodus.

Moses is saved as an infant to later become the one chosen by God to lead

his people to freedom.

Pharaoh becoming increasingly threatened by the Hebrews

decreed that the first born males would be killed.

Only the females were to be allowed to live.

At the old age of 80, Moses boldly demands

 that Pharaoh release his people.

 

The ten great plagues descended upon the land

ending with the death of all the male children in the land.

The homes of the Hebrews were saved as a result

of their following the command of God.

They marked their doorways with the blood of a pure lamb;

thus their sons are spared. 

 

They shall take some of its blood
and apply it to the two doorposts and the lintel
of every house in which they partake of the lamb.

 

The people quickly prepared the lamb ready to flee in a moments notice.

They had no time to allow yeast bread to rise.

To this day unleavened bread is an important part of Passover.

 

 

Jesus begins his Passion on this feast day.

It is fitting since he alone will be sacrificed

 to bring all of us out of bondage.

Jesus is the bridge between the old with the new.

He fulfills the covenant issued by his Father.

He does not forsake the people of God.

Just as he continues to save us today.

 

Jesus is always the one who connects the old and the new.

The word became flesh to fulfill the will of the Father...

to make all things complete.

 

On this night of Passover Jesus rises, humbles himself,

and washes the feet of his apostles.

He does not discriminate among the faithful, the one who betrays

or the one who will deny knowing him three times.

 

After kneeling down and washing their feet,

he tries one more time to help them understand who he is

and why he really came.

 

“Do you realize what I have done for you?
You call me ‘teacher’ and ‘master,’ and rightly so, for indeed I am.
If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet,
you ought to wash one another’s feet.
I have given you a model to follow,
so that as I have done for you, you should also do.”

 

How we treat others speaks so much more than our words ever can.

We may not be washing the feet of those we meet,

but we can treat them with loving care and dignity.

 

Lord, help me to strive daily to be more like you.

Begin first by transforming my heart.