THE CERMON OF MOST REVEREND BISHOP VLADIMIR FEKETE ON MAUNDY THURSDAY HOLY MASS

Dear brothers and sisters,

With the Holy Mass of Remembrance of the Lord’s Last Supper we enter to the Holy Paschal Triduum.

The readings that we have just listened reveal to us the essence of today’s holiday and Easter in general.

The first reading from the book of Exodus explains the significance of the Passover celebration for the ancient Jews. This celebration was associated with the experience of death and new life.

The lamb, which the Jews sacrificed and solemnly ate during the Passover holiday, reminded them that God preserved the Chosen People on the night of liberation from Egyptian slavery. This sacrifice was supposed to remind them that the death of the firstborn of the Egyptians was the beginning of a new life for those who until then had been slaves.

The sacrifice of Jesus – the true Lamb – is experienced every day by us Christians on the altar during the celebration of the Holy Mass. It is there that the true Passover takes place, which saves all humanity from the worst death: from eternal death caused by sin.

On this special day of Remembrance of the Last Supper, we can remember God’s endless love for each of us. Because of this great love, He gives His life every day for you, brother, and for you, sister, so that you too can move from the death of sin to new life in His Holy Spirit.

The second reading from St. Paul’s letter to the Corinthians reminds us of when and how Jesus instituted the Eucharist and that the Eucharist is strongly linked to the eschatological dimension of the Christian life. What does it mean?

This means that when the Sacrament of the Eucharist, which expresses the death and resurrection of Christ, is celebrated, it should also be remembered that Jesus promised His disciples that He would return.

Therefore, in every worship service we must be attentive to His promise to return just as He ascended into heaven.

How can we not remember this truth, especially today, on Maundy Thursday?

It helps us understand that both on weekdays and on holidays the Lord is with us and reminds us that one fine day He will come to fulfill all our expectations.

The passage from the Gospel of St. John that we read today offers us an answer to the question: what is the secret of personal success and happiness?

Incredibly, according to the teachings of Jesus, the fulfillment of all human aspirations lies in one single word: serve.

This means that when, following the example of Jesus, both you, my brother, and you, my sister, are ready to sacrifice something of yours – time, attention to another person, living space, or your abilities, without expecting anything in return, your life will be transformed in a wonderful way. Like the life of Christ, your life will become the Eucharist, a gift and thanksgiving.

The Lord calls us to just try to live the Beatitudes, as His closest friends did.

Having tasted with all your heart the boundless love of Christ, it will be impossible to refuse it. My brother, my sister, you too can become happy if you really want it, and your example can make happy those who want to imitate you.

The Sacrament of the Eucharist, with which we are nourished, and the ministry of the priests who bring us Jesus in the Sacraments, and especially in the Sacrament of His Body and Blood, call us today, first of all, to thank God for these gifts. At the same time, this is a call to each of us to love not in words, but in deeds, to love through daily service where we live and to those for whom we live.

May God always help us in this. Amen.