Ex 12:1-8, 11-14 / 1 Cor 11:23-26 / Jn 13:1-15
As the last supper drew to a close, Jesus had less than 24 hours to live. It was time to speak His last words to His friends. But what could He say, when the sadness was so great? So He simply acted. First, He gave them his own body and blood as food, so that as long as they lived, they’d never be without the comfort and strength of His presence. Then He washed their feet — a tender reminder of His undying affection and a quiet plea for them to do the same for each other. He fed them, He washed their feet, and then He went out to die.
This evening, in Catholic churches in every corner of the world, priests, bishops, and even the pope at St. Peter’s in Rome, are doing yet again what Jesus did on that first Holy Thursday, not out of nostalgia, but as a holy remembering — remembering that we’ll never be alone because He’ll always be near, and remembering that our vocation is to take care of one another as He always takes care of us.
Remember and give thanks!
by Jeanette Hays
An old preacher spoke something in reply to a question from a young man, something so hushed it was indistinguishable. The young man stepped across the room. "What did you say?" he asked. The preacher repeated himself, but again in a tone as soft as a whisper. So the young man moved closer until he was leaning on the preacher's chair.
"Sorry," he said. "I still didn't hear you." With their heads bent together, the old preacher spoke once more. "God sometimes whispers," he said, "so we will move closer to hear him."
We all want God's voice to thunder through the air with the answer to our problem. But God's is the still, small voice ... the gentle whisper.
Perhaps there's a reason.
Nothing draws human focus quite like a whisper.
God's whisper means I must stop my ranting and move close to Him, until my head is bent together with His. And then, as I listen, I will find my answer.
Better still, I find myself closer to God.
And there is no better place to be.
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10 Little Christians
10 little Christians standing in line. 1 disliked the preacher, then there were 9.
9 little Christians stayed up very late. 1 overslept Sunday, then there were 8.
8 little Christians on their way to Heaven. 1 took the low road and then there were 7.
7 little Christians chirping like chicks. 1 disliked music, then there were 6.
6 little Christians seemed very much alive, but one lost his interest then there was 5.
5 little Christians pulling for Heaven's Shore, but one stopped to rest, then there were 4
4 little Christians each busy as a bee. 1 got his feelings hurt, then there were 3
3 little Christians knew not what to do. 1 joined the sporty crowd, then there were 2
2 little Christians, our rhyme is nearly done, differed with each other, then there was 1
1 little Christian can't do much 'tis true, brought his friend to bible study, then there were 2
2 earnest Christians, each won one more. That doubled the number, then there were 4
4 sincere Christians worked early and late. Each won another then there were 8
8 splendid Christians if they doubled as before. In just so many Sundays, we'd have 1,024
In this little jingle, there is a lesson true, you belong either to the building or to the wrecking crew!
