FAUSTI - John insists on the freedom of Jesus. Freedom knows and wants what happens. The cross is not an accident on the way, it is the definitive revelation of the Son who, knowing the love of the Father, went out to communicate it to His brethren. The " His hour " announced at the beginning (2,4) and recalled at the end of the book of signs (12,23), is that of the return to the Father, the hour of Glory. The whole "day" of Jesus points to this moment. It is the hour of the cross, where Creator and creature finally meet each other, and creation finally reaches the seventh day. It is the hour in which everything is accomplished and God, by completing His work, rests. It is not "the" dinner, the Jewish Easter dinner, but "one" dinner, an anticipation of every dinner of the community that gathers to eat the Easter of the Lord, offered on the cross for the salvation of the world. "When the devil had already put in his heart" The evangelist points out that it is it, with its deception, who is primarily responsible for the evil, and through its envy death entered the world. It is the head of this world, which Jesus came to expel to save man. Judas is a victim of the devil, who made him flash the opportunity to deliver Jesus. He is the son of perdition, the lost son: in him is fulfilled the Scripture, which speaks of God in search of the lost man. In the traitor is objective the extreme love that God has for all. Jesus washes his feet not before, but during dinner. It is not therefore purification for the supper. It is the center of "his" meal. This gives the gesture a specific meaning of anticipating " His" Easter. His act illustrates the new life that He communicates to His brothers and sisters. Washing the feet and giving the bite to Judas, with the command of mutual love, replace in John the story of the institution of the Eucharist. He does not just strip Himself of His cloak, but of His garments: as on the cross, where He gives Himself to us. It's the Beautiful Shepherd who lays down his life for the sheep. "Taken a cloth" The apron and the dryer, together, became His final garment: that of the servant. The story does not say whether Peter was the first or the last to whom Jesus washed his feet. He appoints him as the representative of the others who will certainly have had the same reaction. Peter calls Jesus by the name "Lord". Jesus is the Lord as a servant, the Son who does the same work of the Father for his brothers and sisters. It is the Lord to follow: only in this way are we free, equal to Him, who does not place himself above others but at the service of all. What Mary did for Jesus in Bethany corresponds to what Jesus does for His disciples in the Upper Room. With the anticipation typical of those who love, she responded to love with love. Peter reacts because he does not understand. He opposes Jesus as after the first prediction of His death and resurrection. For him, Christ, Master and Lord, must demand from all hospitality and acceptance, intimacy and reverence. Accepting Him who "washes our feet" gives us the ability to love as He loved us, to have a part in His life as Son. Peter wants to be with Jesus. Even if he does not understand Him, he adheres to Him. Without knowing it, he says a truth: by washing his feet, the Lord will heal the root of his journey. Man is the way he makes: the new way of walking will also wash his hands and head. It will also give him a new way of acting and thinking, because He will give him a new heart, that of a son to the image of the Father.
WORDS OF THE HOLY FATHER At that time, the feet were washed by the slaves: it was a slave's task. And Jesus wanted to do this service, to give us an example of how we must serve one another. He flips, Jesus overturns the historical and cultural habit of that time - also this of today - the one who commands, to be a good leader, whether he is where he is, must serve. Service: really there are people who do not facilitate this attitude, proud people, hateful people, people who perhaps wish us harm; but we are called to serve them more. And there are also people who suffer, who are discarded from society, at least for a while, and Jesus goes there to tell them: You are important to me. Jesus comes to serve us, Jesus risks on each of us. Know this: Jesus is called Jesus, he is not called Pontius Pilate. Jesus does not know how to wash his hands: he only knows how to take risks! This is the service, this is Jesus: he never abandons us; he never tires of forgiving us. He loves us very much. (Homily, Mass in Coena Domini, Holy Thursday, 29 March 2018)
FAUSTI - John insists on the freedom of Jesus. Freedom knows and wants what happens. The cross is not an accident on the way, it is the definitive revelation of the Son who, knowing the love of the Father, went out to communicate it to His brethren. The " His hour " announced at the beginning (2,4) and recalled at the end of the book of signs (12,23), is that of the return to the Father, the hour of Glory.
RispondiEliminaThe whole "day" of Jesus points to this moment. It is the hour of the cross, where Creator and creature finally meet each other, and creation finally reaches the seventh day. It is the hour in which everything is accomplished and God, by completing His work, rests.
It is not "the" dinner, the Jewish Easter dinner, but "one" dinner, an anticipation of every dinner of the community that gathers to eat the Easter of the Lord, offered on the cross for the salvation of the world. "When the devil had already put in his heart" The evangelist points out that it is it, with its deception, who is primarily responsible for the evil, and through its envy death entered the world.
It is the head of this world, which Jesus came to expel to save man.
Judas is a victim of the devil, who made him flash the opportunity to deliver Jesus. He is the son of perdition, the lost son: in him is fulfilled the Scripture, which speaks of God in search of the lost man. In the traitor is objective the extreme love that God has for all.
Jesus washes his feet not before, but during dinner. It is not therefore purification for the supper. It is the center of "his" meal. This gives the gesture a specific meaning of anticipating " His" Easter. His act illustrates the new life that He communicates to His brothers and sisters. Washing the feet and giving the bite to Judas, with the command of mutual love, replace in John the story of the institution of the Eucharist.
He does not just strip Himself of His cloak, but of His garments: as on the cross, where He gives Himself to us.
It's the Beautiful Shepherd who lays down his life for the sheep.
"Taken a cloth" The apron and the dryer, together, became His final garment: that of the servant.
The story does not say whether Peter was the first or the last to whom Jesus washed his feet. He appoints him as the representative of the others who will certainly have had the same reaction.
Peter calls Jesus by the name "Lord".
Jesus is the Lord as a servant, the Son who does the same work of the Father for his brothers and sisters.
It is the Lord to follow: only in this way are we free, equal to Him, who does not place himself above others but at the service of all. What Mary did for Jesus in Bethany corresponds to what Jesus does for His disciples in the Upper Room.
With the anticipation typical of those who love, she responded to love with love. Peter reacts because he does not understand. He opposes Jesus as after the first prediction of His death and resurrection.
For him, Christ, Master and Lord, must demand from all hospitality and acceptance, intimacy and reverence.
Accepting Him who "washes our feet" gives us the ability to love as He loved us, to have a part in His life as Son. Peter wants to be with Jesus. Even if he does not understand Him, he adheres to Him.
Without knowing it, he says a truth: by washing his feet, the Lord will heal the root of his journey.
Man is the way he makes: the new way of walking will also wash his hands and head.
It will also give him a new way of acting and thinking, because He will give him a new heart, that of a son to the image of the Father.
WORDS OF THE HOLY FATHER
RispondiEliminaAt that time, the feet were washed by the slaves: it was a slave's task. And Jesus wanted to do this service, to give us an example of how we must serve one another. He flips,
Jesus overturns the historical and cultural habit of that time - also this of today - the one who commands, to be a good leader, whether he is where he is, must serve. Service: really there are people who do not facilitate this attitude, proud people, hateful people, people who perhaps wish us harm; but we are called to serve them more. And there are also people who suffer, who are discarded from society, at least for a while, and Jesus goes there to tell them: You are important to me. Jesus comes to serve us, Jesus risks on each of us. Know this: Jesus is called Jesus, he is not called Pontius Pilate. Jesus does not know how to wash his hands: he only knows how to take risks! This is the service, this is Jesus: he never abandons us; he never tires of forgiving us. He loves us very much. (Homily, Mass in Coena Domini, Holy Thursday, 29 March 2018)