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Bishop of Itanagar Washes the Feet of the Faithful on Maundy Thursday

(Bishop's Maundy Thursday Message to the Christian Community of Arunachal Pradesh – Rt. Rev. Dr. John Thomas, the Bishop of Itanagar)

By Fr. Ivan Vas

Doimukh April 01: Christians in Arunachal Pradesh observed Maundy Thursday (the Thursday before Easter Sunday) to commemorate the institution of the Holy Eucharist. At Catholic churches the ‘Washing of the Feet' ritual was also held. Rt. Rev. Dr. John Thomas Kattrukudiyil, the Bishop of Itanagar performed the ‘Washing of the Feet' ritual at the Infant Jesus Church Doimukh. The ritual and services began in the evening. All priests led the ritual in other Catholic Churches. The chief celebrant of the Mass washes the feet of twelve men in the ‘Washing of the Feet' ritual. The ritual is seen as a pious re-enactment of the Christ washing the feet of his twelve disciples at the Last Supper. The faithful take the ritual as a symbol of the Christ's message of humility, service and love for his disciples. Maundy Thursday also symbolizes the Christ's agony in the Garden of Gethsemane and Judas' betrayal. To commemorate the Christ's agony ‘night vigil' is held in most churches. ‘Night vigils' usually go on till the commencement of the Good Friday services.

The Holy Week commemorating the events of Christ's last week before his death is central to Christian tradition of Faith. The Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday with the great vigil and Easter are the chief festivals of the Holy Week. Historians generally accept that Jesus died in A.D. 30 on Friday the 7th of April at about 3.00 P.M. The day before his death, Thursday the 6th of April, which is traditionally known as Maundy Thursday, Jesus ate the Last Supper together with his Apostles in the evening. Holy Thursday is known in the Catholic Church as Maundy Thursday. “Maundy” is a term derived from the Latin phrase “man datum novum” (new Commandment) which the Lord Christ gave to his disciples as a distinguishing mark of Christianity. (Jn.13, 34). On this day, Christians recall the events that took place on the night Jesus was betrayed, as recorded in all the four Gospels. Before Jesus was crucified on the following day, Jesus celebrated his final Passover meal with his disciples. The institution of the Eucharist took place during this meal. It was indeed an anticipation of the Jewish Passover meal as St. John affirms that Jesus died before the eating of the Passover. (Cfr.Jn.18, 28). His prayer amidst intense agony took place in the garden of Gethsemane on this day. He acquired from this prayer mental strength and spiritual power to face the forthcoming excruciating pain and barbarous ill-treatment of the executioners.

The entire Christendom recalls today with heart ache the treachery of Judas, one of the disciples who betrayed Christ, his Master. The climax of all the events of the day is the institution of the Eucharist, the sacramental representation of his sacrifice on Calvary which would be completed on the cross on the following day. It goes along with the institution of the sacrament of Ordination which would perpetuate the Eucharistic celebration according to his command “Do this in memory of me”.

Jesus offering himself in the Eucharistic Bread said that it was his Body broken for all to be eaten, a supreme symbol of self-giving. Jesus gives his body and blood in the form of bread and wine to the generations.

As for Catholics from the beginning of Christian era, Eucharistic Bread and Wine are not mere symbols but the reality of the very body and blood of Jesus Christ. This is corroborated by St. Paul writing to Corinthians already in A.D. 50-55 some 20 years after the death and resurrection of Christ asking “Do you not know the bread we break: when we eat it , we are sharing in the body of Christ .

‘The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a sharing in the blood of Christ?' (1Cor.10, 16) As Jesus Christ breaks up himself as nourishment to millions around the world today, self-giving becomes the real motivation for Christian life.

Maundy Thursday presents another scene on which John's Gospel focuses its attention. He highlights the final teaching of Jesus dramatically presented by the washing of the feet of the disciples by the divine Master. “Love one another” is the hymn of Maundy Thursday that reverberates the whole of Christendom on this day. Humility coupled with service is inalienable Christian characteristics preached by Christ.