FAUSTI - For the seventh time we talk about "washing feet". Jesus will repeat it, immediately afterwards, twice more: "If therefore I, the Lord and Master, washed your feet, you too must wash each other's feet". It is the centre of the mystery to be understood. Before washing feet, Jesus took off His clothes as servant: He laid down His life to put it at our service. When He takes it up again, according to the command of the Father (10:18), He does not remove His garment as servant. This reveals His Glory for ever. Jesus is among us as the One who serves. In mutual service we have part with Him. We enter the Trinity, sharing in the very life of God, who is Love given and answered. This is the profound meaning of the Eucharist, our Easter, manifestation of God Love and salvation of man. What Jesus has done is the model to be imitated. If we love one another, we know the way to be where He is. The new and definitive presence of God in the world is Love. The theme of life and light, so far dominant in the Gospel, flows into that of Love. And love, the true light of life, is realized not in words or with the tongue, but in the truth of facts, in being at the service of one another. Bliss is doing these things. But no one can do them if do not know them first. One does what he knows. We, like Peter, do not know them yet, nor we do them; we would not even the Lord to do them . "These things" are said to us now, because afterwards, when they will have happened, we can understand them. Like a pounding refrain, the thought of Jesus turns to Judas, who does not participate in this bliss. This is His basic concern: how can He save His lost brother? Jesus, the Son who knows the Love of the Father, also knows His love for the brothers that He has chosen. His election does not exclude anyone, otherwise He would not be Son of the Father of all. "Whoever welcomes him whom I will send, welcomes Me, whoever welcomes Me, welcomes the One who sent Me". The consequences of this attitude of Jesus for the Church and her Mission are evident: Judas is an Apostle, chosen and sent, and even if he is unfaithful, the Lord is faithful to him. To welcome him and everyone else is to welcome Jesus Himself, who identifies Himself with the last of his brethren, because He loves Him with the same Love as the Father. This also means that the mission is valid,no matter how the envoy behaves . The One who holds the waters of the sea in a wineskin (Sl 33,7), inserts in His plan of salvation all guilt and evil of man.
Reading of the day A reading from the Book of the Acts of the Apostles Acts 13:13-25
From Paphos, Paul and his companions set sail and arrived at Perga in Pamphylia. But John left them and returned to Jerusalem. They continued on from Perga and reached Antioch in Pisidia. On the sabbath they entered into the synagogue and took their seats. After the reading of the law and the prophets, the synagogue officials sent word to them, "My brothers, if one of you has a word of exhortation for the people, please speak."
So Paul got up, motioned with his hand, and said, "Fellow children of Israel and you others who are God-fearing, listen. The God of this people Israel chose our ancestors and exalted the people during their sojourn in the land of Egypt. With uplifted arm he led them out, and for about forty years he put up with them in the desert. When he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave them their land as an inheritance at the end of about four hundred and fifty years. After these things he provided judges up to Samuel the prophet. Then they asked for a king. God gave them Saul, son of Kish, a man from the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. Then he removed him and raised up David as their king; of him he testified, I have found David, son of Jesse, a man after my own heart; he will carry out my every wish. From this man's descendants God, according to his promise, has brought to Israel a savior, Jesus. John heralded his coming by proclaiming a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel; and as John was completing his course, he would say, 'What do you suppose that I am? I am not he. Behold, one is coming after me; I am not worthy to unfasten the sandals of his feet.'"
Gospel of the day From the Gospel according to John Jn 13:16-20
When Jesus had washed the disciples' feet, he said to them: "Amen, amen, I say to you, no slave is greater than his master nor any messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you understand this, blessed are you if you do it. I am not speaking of all of you. I know those whom I have chosen. But so that the Scripture might be fulfilled, The one who ate my food has raised his heel against me. From now on I am telling you before it happens, so that when it happens you may believe that I AM. Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me."
The words of the Popes How can we understand if we truly have faith, that is, if our faith, while miniscule, is genuine, pure, sincere? Jesus explains this by indicating what the measure of faith is: service. (…) This attitude toward God is also reflected in the manner of behaviour in the community: it is reflected in the joy of being at the service of one another, finding one’s reward already therein, and not in the recognition and gains that may derive from it. (…) Unworthy servants, that is, without expecting to be thanked, without pretexts. “We are unworthy servants” is an expression of humility and willingness, which does much good for the Church and recalls the right attitude for working within her: humble service, of which Jesus gave the example, by washing the feet of the disciples. (Pope Francis, Angelus, 6 October 2019)
FAUSTI - For the seventh time we talk about "washing feet". Jesus will repeat it, immediately afterwards, twice more: "If therefore I, the Lord and Master, washed your feet, you too must wash each other's feet".
RispondiEliminaIt is the centre of the mystery to be understood. Before washing feet, Jesus took off His clothes as servant: He laid down His life to put it at our service.
When He takes it up again, according to the command of the Father (10:18), He does not remove His garment as servant.
This reveals His Glory for ever. Jesus is among us as the One who serves. In mutual service we have part with Him. We enter the Trinity, sharing in the very life of God, who is Love given and answered.
This is the profound meaning of the Eucharist, our Easter, manifestation of God Love and salvation of man. What Jesus has done is the model to be imitated.
If we love one another, we know the way to be where He is.
The new and definitive presence of God in the world is Love.
The theme of life and light, so far dominant in the Gospel, flows into that of Love. And love, the true light of life, is realized not in words or with the tongue, but in the truth of facts, in being at the service of one another.
Bliss is doing these things.
But no one can do them if do not know them first. One does what he knows. We, like Peter, do not know them yet, nor we do them; we would not even the Lord to do them . "These things" are said to us now, because afterwards, when they will have happened, we can understand them.
Like a pounding refrain, the thought of Jesus turns to Judas, who does not participate in this bliss. This is His basic concern: how can He save His lost brother?
Jesus, the Son who knows the Love of the Father, also knows His love for the brothers that He has chosen. His election does not exclude anyone, otherwise He would not be Son of the Father of all.
"Whoever welcomes him whom I will send, welcomes Me, whoever welcomes Me, welcomes the One who sent Me".
The consequences of this attitude of Jesus for the Church and her Mission are evident: Judas is an Apostle, chosen and sent, and even if he is unfaithful, the Lord is faithful to him. To welcome him and everyone else is to welcome Jesus Himself, who identifies Himself with the last of his brethren, because He loves Him with the same Love as the Father. This also means that the mission is valid,no matter how the envoy behaves . The One who holds the waters of the sea in a wineskin (Sl 33,7), inserts in His plan of salvation all guilt and evil of man.
Reading of the day
RispondiEliminaA reading from the Book of the Acts of the Apostles
Acts 13:13-25
From Paphos, Paul and his companions
set sail and arrived at Perga in Pamphylia.
But John left them and returned to Jerusalem.
They continued on from Perga and reached Antioch in Pisidia.
On the sabbath they entered into the synagogue and took their seats.
After the reading of the law and the prophets,
the synagogue officials sent word to them,
"My brothers, if one of you has a word of exhortation
for the people, please speak."
So Paul got up, motioned with his hand, and said,
"Fellow children of Israel and you others who are God-fearing, listen.
The God of this people Israel chose our ancestors
and exalted the people during their sojourn in the land of Egypt.
With uplifted arm he led them out,
and for about forty years he put up with them in the desert.
When he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan,
he gave them their land as an inheritance
at the end of about four hundred and fifty years.
After these things he provided judges up to Samuel the prophet.
Then they asked for a king.
God gave them Saul, son of Kish,
a man from the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years.
Then he removed him and raised up David as their king;
of him he testified,
I have found David, son of Jesse, a man after my own heart;
he will carry out my every wish.
From this man's descendants God, according to his promise,
has brought to Israel a savior, Jesus.
John heralded his coming by proclaiming a baptism of repentance
to all the people of Israel;
and as John was completing his course, he would say,
'What do you suppose that I am? I am not he.
Behold, one is coming after me;
I am not worthy to unfasten the sandals of his feet.'"
Gospel of the day
From the Gospel according to John
Jn 13:16-20
When Jesus had washed the disciples' feet, he said to them:
"Amen, amen, I say to you, no slave is greater than his master
nor any messenger greater than the one who sent him.
If you understand this, blessed are you if you do it.
I am not speaking of all of you.
I know those whom I have chosen.
But so that the Scripture might be fulfilled,
The one who ate my food has raised his heel against me.
From now on I am telling you before it happens,
so that when it happens you may believe that I AM.
Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send
receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me."
The words of the Popes
How can we understand if we truly have faith, that is, if our faith, while miniscule, is genuine, pure, sincere? Jesus explains this by indicating what the measure of faith is: service. (…) This attitude toward God is also reflected in the manner of behaviour in the community: it is reflected in the joy of being at the service of one another, finding one’s reward already therein, and not in the recognition and gains that may derive from it. (…) Unworthy servants, that is, without expecting to be thanked, without pretexts. “We are unworthy servants” is an expression of humility and willingness, which does much good for the Church and recalls the right attitude for working within her: humble service, of which Jesus gave the example, by washing the feet of the disciples. (Pope Francis, Angelus, 6 October 2019)