At the service of others
In the afternoon of 28 March, Holy Thursday, the
Pope went to the Roman reform centre for minors, Casal del Marmo, where he
celebrated the Mass “in cena Domini”, the Lord's supper, and washed the feet of
12 detainees. The following is the English text of the Pope's Homily, which was
given in Italian.
This is moving. Jesus, washing the feet of his
disciples. Peter didn’t understood it at all, he refused. But Jesus explained
it for him. Jesus — God — did this! He himself explains to his disciples: “Do
you know what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord — and you
are right, for that is what I am. So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed
your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have set you an
example, that you also should do as I have done to you” (Jn 13:12-15).
It is the Lord’s example: he is the most important,
and he washes feet, because with us what is highest must be at the service of
others. This is a symbol, it is a sign, right? Washing feet means: “I am at
your service”. And with us too, don’t we have to wash each other’s feet day
after day? But what does this mean? That all of us must help one another.
Sometimes I am angry with someone or other ... but... let it go, let it go, and
if he or she asks you a favour, do it.
Help one another: this is what Jesus teaches us and
this what I am doing, and doing with all my heart, because it is my duty. As a
priest and a bishop, I must be at your service. But it is a duty which comes
from my heart: I love it. I love this and I love to do it because that is what
the Lord has taught me to do. But you too, help one another: help one another
always. One another. In this way, by helping one another, we will do some good.
Now we will perform this ceremony of washing feet,
and let us think, let each one of us think: “Am I really willing, willing to
serve, to help others?”. Let us think about this, just this. And let us think
that this sign is a caress of Jesus, which Jesus gives, because this is the
real reason why Jesus came: to serve, to help us.
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