From: Ouko joachim omolo
The News Dispatch with Omolo Beste in images
Fr Joachim Omolo Ouko, AJ
Tel +254 7350 14559/+254 722 623 578
E-mail omolo.ouko@gmail.com
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Real change must come from ordinary people who refuse to be taken hostage by the weapons of politicians in the face of inequality, racism and oppression, but march together towards a clear and unambiguous goal.
-Anne Montgomery, RSCJ
UN Disarmament
Conference, 2002
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THE LAST SUPPER BEFORE JESUS’ PASSION-DEATH AND RESURRECTION
SENT BY FR MAGNUS KOBI, AJ FROM AUSTRALIA
THURSDAY, MARCH 28, 2013
Jesus says “I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you” (Lk. 22:15). He spoke these words at the beginning of His last supper, right before his death on the cross. And Jesus is speaking these same words to me and you again today.
Truly, the desire of Jesus had always been the same, on that very evening he wanted to be with His disciples, both the disciples of yesterday and of today including you and me. It is the last day of Jesus’ life, his last evening, and the last time he would be with his disciples. He had chosen them, cared for them, loved them and defended them.
Similar question we ask: Do we want to be with Jesus at least a little? Do we know how to give him the little companionship and affection that our hearts are capable of? If we look reality in the face we will see that Jesus has always been the one who was doing everything to be near us and to connect us to the Gospel.
As the old ancient hymn says: “Quoties querens me sedisti lassus?” (How many times Lord, did you sit down exhausted from searching for me?) This evening Jesus is lovingly binding himself to us his disciples with one burst of love.
At the table with the Twelve, Jesus took bread and gave it to them saying, “This is my Body, which is given for you.” He did the same with the cup of wine, “This is my Blood, which is poured out for you.” These are the same words we are going to repeat in this Eucharistic celebration.
Jesus becomes food for us, flesh of our flesh. The bread and wine are the food that has come down from heaven for us men and women who are pilgrims on the roads of this world. The bread and wine are medicine and sustenance for our poor lives, they heal every illness, free us from sin and they lift us up from anguish and sadness.
What is even more, they make us similar to Jesus; they help us to live as He used to live, to talk as He talked and to desire what he desired. The bread and wine also make feelings of goodness, service, affection, tenderness, love and forgiveness. They make the feelings of Jesus flow from us.
The Gospel message of the foot washing we witness today shows us what it means for Jesus to be broken bread and poured-out wine for us and for all people. At supper time Jesus gets up from the table, getting the necessary things kneels down and washes the feet of his disciples, including Judas who is about to betray him.
Peter not understanding that Jesus is not interested in the kind of dignity that the world wants asks “Lord are you going to wash my feet?” We know the answer of Jesus to him. “You will have nothing in common with me is I don’t wash you.”
For Jesus dignity is not standing straight and tall in front of his friends but kneeling before them in order to serve them. His dignity comes from loving his disciples to the end, providing humble service to them.
This is the last great teaching to them before His death on the cross. So at the end Jesus says to them and to us His current disciples on earth, “Therefore, if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.”
So let us start washing each other’s feet, starting with the weakest, the sick, the elderly, the poorest and the most defenceless refugees and migrants among us.
Let us start walking with our Pope Francis who takes upon himself the virtues of St. Francis of Assisi says: “Let us not be afraid of goodness, let us protect one another and the environment through genuine love and service.”