Sermon Thoughts – Maundy Thursday – 2010

Sermon Thoughts – Maundy Thursday – 2010

We have heard about a bird called Pelican. It is believed that, this bird hurts herself in order to feed her children.
Not long ago I saw a film. The name of the film is not in my memory. But I remember a scene from it. A soldier finds his deadly injured comrade in need of water. He finds no water around him. So he makes a wound on his hand and as his hands near the lips of his friend he dies.
In my home land and in the neighbouring countries in Asia, people go for Arabian countries in search of some Job to earn for their family.
All kind of such pictures of sacrifice explains one thing. Survival of some beloved is the motivation in all sacrifices.
We meet today Jesus. He is celebrating his life and they are around a table. In Gospel Jesus’ name is mentioned with bread at least in 6 situations.
1. during his temptation.
2. first wonder of bread
3. second wonder of bread
4. Last supper
5. at Emmaus
6. After resurrection on sea shore
In all these narrations there is one thing in common. Jesus never uses “bread” for his own need. He denies it at first at the temptation of the evil spirit. And this commitment is kept till the end of His life.
This is the very aspect of His meal; His divine Sharing. And it is the wonder of His teaching. This is made a sign on this special day of Passover.
Dear ones, if we notice that our faith, our Christian faith is facing problems in this world, there is only one reason. The reason is that, we are “consuming our bread”. We are less interested in sharing the bread.
This “bread” is not only something perishable, but it denotes our values, our Christian values; our way of life; our witnessing existence in a society.
Jesus shared his Bread. That is his greatness. And this greatness is commemorated eternally.
Moreover this is a Family Feast. The Passover, in its origin, celebrated in a family. Children asked questions and the eldest one shares his Faith in YHWH.
My dear friends, we need, yes, still need this family feeling in our church. There we respect each other; there we share our daily means. There we struggle and there we experience the love.
Let us pray for this grace. Christ shared his Bread; His life. Let us learn it again and again. May God Bless us all! Amen.

– Fr Thomas Kalathil