Homily for Thursday of the 4th Week of Easter

Our Gospel passage today brings us back to the scene of the Last Supper in that upper room. Jesus has just finished washing His Apostles’ feet, a symbolic act to show the humble service that Jesus Himself did and expected those who would minister in His name to do.

Indeed, in accepting the name “Christian,” we not only accept the commitment to serve the poor, the suffering, the oppressed, prisoners, the sick, but we do so with a sense of humility, not doing it simply for our own gain, but to truly be the compassionate presence of Jesus in our world. To do this, we must put aside our own ambitions and pride and truly be open to all that we are called to do.+