May Jesus Christ be
praised and may his holy Mother pray for us.
Isaiah tells us and
Saint Paul reminds us, how beautiful are
the feet of those who bring the good news. Ten years ago tonight, the whole
world was keeping vigil by the light from a single room. The whole world was keeping vigil because,
ten years ago tonight, Pope John Paul II, was dying. The light from his room kept burning until he
had passed from this world to the house of the Father. Pope John Paul II had come to the end of his
earthly journey. This was the journey
from Wadowice to Krakow, from Krakow to Rome, and from Rome to the whole world. He had traveled the
world. He had walked in the path of
triumph and tragedy. He had walked in
the path of suffering and adversity. He
had walked to the Eucharistic Sacrifice on the Altar of the World and he had walked
the way of the Cross in his own life.
Pope John Paul II brought the good news.
With Isaiah and with Saint Paul, and with the whole Church we can
acclaim that indeed, his feet were beautiful.
Tonight, the Lord Jesus
asks for the feet of his disciples. This
is a strange request. They have followed
him for three years. They have
proclaimed his Word. They have cured the
sick, cast out demons, fed the crowds, and seen the dead raised to life. And
now Jesus asks them for their feet. He
wants to wash their feet. He wants to
perform for them the humble service of the servant. Though the Lord Jesus is the host of the
banquet and he is the meal that is shared, he wants to be of service to his
servants. He wants to wash their feet.
Our feet give us
freedom. Our feet give us control. It was likely the most joyful day of our
young lives when we learned to use our feet to walk. It was likely one of the most terrifying days
for our parents when we learned to use our feet to walk. We had freedom. We had control. We were no longer bound to be carried in the
arms of our mother or our father. Our
feet gave us freedom.
And Jesus asks us for
our feet.
My head was washed in
the waters of Baptism and my forehead was anointed and I received the gifts of
the Holy Spirit in Confirmation. My
hands were consecrated by the Chrism of Salvation on the day that I received
the priesthood by the imposition of apostolic hands. By the power of his word, the tender mercy of
his love and the gift of his Body and Blood, the Lord Jesus has taken
possession of my heart and my soul. And
now the Lord Jesus asks for my feet.
Will I give my feet to
Jesus Christ? Will I let him touch and
claim and wash my feet? Will I give to
him in love the freedom that he has given to me? If I give my feet to Jesus Christ then I will
have a part with him. If I give my feet
to Jesus Christ and let him be a servant to me, then I will become a servant to
him, and to you. If I give my feet to
Jesus Christ he will guide my steps to the mountaintop. He will guide my steps to the upper room and
the altar. He will guide my steps to the
garden and to Calvary. If I give my feet
to Jesus Christ, he will guide my steps along the path that he chooses. If I give my feet to Jesus Christ, he will
guide my steps along the path that leads to his kingdom. If I give my feet to Jesus Christ, then I
will walk with Him.
At the end of this Mass
we will walk with Jesus to the garden.
We will keep vigil with the Lord by the light of this single room. Tonight we give our feet to Jesus Christ and
we remain with him.
Preached
at Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, Monroe, NC
