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HOMILIES

6. Homily - Thursday, April 9, 2020

Holy Thursday (Jn 13:1-15)

Do You Know the Eleventh Commandment?

You will recognize this passage, but perhaps you did not know that this is the Eleventh
Commandment given to us by God: “Do this in memory of me.” These are the words spoken
by Jesus. “Do this in memory of me. This is my body, which will be given up for you. This is
my blood which will be poured out for you. Do this in memory of me. Take, eat. Take it and
drink of it. Do this in memory of me.”

Whom addresses Jesus? He addresses the Apostles as the pillars of the church but also as
the representatives of the whole Church. His words institute them as priests, but he also
addresses the whole church.

By speaking to the whole church, the whole people of God become a priestly people. The
apostles are instituted as priests, they are made priests, and the whole church becomes a
priestly people.

“Do this in memory of me” is the commandment for both priests and to the whole church to
celebrate the Eucharist. Mass is a divine commandment. It is a commandment that comes
from Jesus Christ, who is God, who is the Son of God made man.

Praying the Mass, celebrating Mass, and participating in the Eucharist is to respond to
God’s call and commandment. Does Jesus say: “I am making you an offer, a suggestion, if
you want it, when you want it.” No! “Do this. Do this in memory of me.” The Eucharist, the
Mass, is God’s commandment, it is Jesus Christ’s commandment.

When Jesus Christ makes this commandment, is it for his sake? No! It is not for himself! It
is for us! It is us who need him. We need Jesus Christ. We need his love. We need his grace.
We need the love that is in him. He who loves us to the end, he is always present. “This is
my body given,” this is the love that goes to the end that is made present in the Eucharist.

It is the love that gives all and asks for nothing in return that is made present in the
Eucharist. It is us who need the Eucharist as the Eucharist becomes nourishment. The
table of the Word of God becomes nourishment. The table of the Eucharist becomes nour-
ishment. We are nourished by God himself so that love grows within us and love blossoms
within us.

(cont’d)

Collection of texts by the Most Rev. Christian Lépine 118