Holy Thursday Homily - April 2, 2015

            Mother Theresa was once asked the source of her strength – how she could, daily, go into the poorest of the poor places on earth and pick up the dying, the sick, the forgotten, lepers, orphans. She responded that it was because of the Body of Christ. She said, “When we go to Mass, we receive the Body of Christ. When we touch the sick and needy, we touch the Body of Christ in the distressing disguise of the poor.”

            It’s significant, I think, that we do not hear about the institution of the Eucharist on this most sacred of nights, when Jesus gave us the gift of all gifts in His Body and Blood. Instead, we hear about the humble washing of feet. To me, this shows that Sacraments are useless without service. Those who have been filled with the Body of Christ at this altar must now go forth to serve the Body of Christ – our brothers and sisters.

            This service is not working for a government charity, it’s not even volunteering at a nonprofit. When we say service, most peoples’ minds immediately jump to Haiti or Africa, or at least to the homeless people in New York City or Danbury. But service is so much more basic of a duty for Christians, one that begins where we live – in our families, in our neighborhoods, in our schools, in our workplaces.

            For example, a smile is an act of kindness that can change the world. When you smile at your coworker, or offer a kind word to your classmate, who knows how long that kindness will have to last them until the next time they experience such love. It may be days until they see another person who exudes joy. How long does your smile have to last? And how important is such a little act of kindness?

            For another example, this kind of charity begins in our families. I think we can define family as those people who we would do anything for – anything except empty the dishwasher. And yet, as much as we say we love them, this love only becomes real and proven when the dishwasher is emptied, when the trash is taken out, when the toothpaste cap is put back on. It may not look like much, but that is incarnated love.

            You may have heard the saying that “Your life may be the only Gospel some people only read.” In the same way, your life may be the only Eucharist some people ever receive. The world is hungry for Jesus, they want to know that there is something that makes sense in this world that is often filled with senseless materialism, violence, and selfishness. And the only way they can discover the only true solution – the healing love of God – is through your love, proven in deeds.

            Sacraments without service are worthless. We need to live out the Eucharist – in sacrificial service, following the example of Jesus Christ, Who laid down His life on a Cross so that we could find life.