At evening begin Easter Triduum of the Lord's Passion, Death and Resurrection 

 ■ CRISM MASS:

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊  Isaiah 61:1-3a, 6a, 8b-9

Ps 89:21-22, 25 & 27

＊＊＊ 2nd Reading ＊＊＊ Revelation 1:5-8

＊＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊＊   Luke 4:16-21

 

■ EVENING MASS OF THE LORD’S SUPPER:

＊＊＊ 1st Reading ＊＊＊

Exodus 12:1-8, 11-14

Ps 116:12-13, 15-16bc, 17-18

 

＊＊＊ 2nd Reading ＊＊＊

1 Corinthians 11:23-26

 

＊＊＊＊ Gospel ＊＊＊＊

John 13:1-15

 It was before the feast of the Passover. Jesus realized that his hour had come to pass from this world to the Father, and as he had loved those who were his own in the world, he would love them with perfect love.

Jesus washes his disciples’ feet  They were at supper and the devil had already put into the mind of Judas, son of Simon Is­cariot, to betray. Je­sus knew that the Father had entrusted all things to him, and as he had come from God, he was go­ing to God.

So he got up from table, removed his garment and taking a towel, wrapped it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel he was wearing.

 When he came to Simon Peter, Simon said to him, “Why, Lord, you want to wash my feet!” Jesus said, “What I am doing you cannot under­stand now, but afterwards you will understand it.” Peter replied, “You shall never wash my feet.”

Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you can have no part with me.” Then Simon Peter said, “Lord, wash not only my feet, but also my hands and my head!”

 Jesus replied, “Whoever has taken a bath does not need to wash (except the feet), for he is clean all over. You are clean, though not all of you.” Jesus knew who was to betray him; be­cause of this he said, “Not all of you are clean.”

 When Jesus had finished washing their feet, he put on his garment again, went back to the table and said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me Master and Lord, and you are right, for so I am.

 If I, then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet, you also must wash one ano­ther’s feet. I have just given you an example that as I have done, you also may do.

 

Gospel Reflection：

The greatest expression of humility is when you finally have the courage to stoop down, get on your knees and consider the welfare of others above your own. You dirty yourself in order that others may be cleaned.

You give up your comfort so that others would feel comfortable. Jesus precisely did that in today's Gospel. The fear of Simon Peter is not so much for the Lord but for himself. He sees before his eyes the dream of greatness and grandeur he envisions for his future crumble.

It is replaced by his Master's example of humility. When we become the Lord's disciple, our path to greatness is reversed. It is not upward or climbing up the ladder of success but in continuous pouring of oneself downwards.