Reflection for Holy Thursday April 2 The Mass of the Lord’s Supper: John 13:1-15

Gospel: John 13:1-15

Before the feast of Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to pass from this world to the Father. He loved his own in the world and he loved them to the end. The devil had already induced Judas, son of Simon the Iscariot, to hand him over. So, during supper, fully aware that the Father had put everything into his power and that he had come from God and was returning to God, he rose from supper and took off his outer garments.  

He took a towel and tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and dry them with the towel around his waist. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, "Master, are you going to wash my feet?" Jesus answered and said to him, "What I am doing, you do not understand now, but you will understand later."  

Peter said to him, "You will never wash my feet." Jesus answered him, "Unless I wash you, you will have no inheritance with me." Simon Peter said to him, "Master, then not only my feet, but my hands and head as well." Jesus said to him, "Whoever has bathed has no need except to have his feet washed, for he is clean all over; so you are clean, but not all." For he knew who would betray him; for this reason, he said, "Not all of you are clean."  

So when he had washed their feet and put his garments back on and reclined at table again, he said to them, "Do you realize what I have done for you? You call me 'teacher' and 'master,' and rightly so, for indeed I am. If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another's feet. I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do."

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Reflection:

What would we do if we knew that we were about to have the last supper of our lives? Perhaps we would turn inward and think of ourselves. Maybe we would withdraw from others and pray with deep intensity before our God.

Yet Jesus, fully aware that His hour had come, chose a different path. During His Last Supper, He did not seek comfort for Himself. Instead, He knelt down and washed the feet of His apostles—an act so humble, so profound, that it revealed the very heart of God. In that sacred moment, He showed us that true greatness is found not in being served, but in serving others with love.

Through this powerful gesture, Jesus imprinted upon the hearts of His apostles—and upon us as well—that if we truly desire to follow Him, we must first embrace humility. We are called to serve, to lower ourselves, and to love without expecting anything in return.

How often do people turn away from our faith because they do not see the humility of Jesus reflected in us? How often do we fail to grow because we hold on to pride, choosing recognition over service, comfort over sacrifice? If we are honest with ourselves, we know that we sometimes struggle to live out the very example that Jesus has given us.

If we desire to become true leaders in our families, communities, and faith, we must learn to serve rather than be served. We must lead not only with words, but with actions that reflect compassion, patience, and self-giving love. Above all, we must follow the path of humility that Jesus Himself walked.

This Holy Thursday, as we reflect on the words of Jesus in the Gospel, “I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do” (John 13:15), let us open our hearts more deeply to His call.

And so we ask ourselves: Are we willing to kneel down in humility and serve others as Jesus did—even when it is difficult, unnoticed, or uncomfortable—or are we still holding back, choosing to be served rather than to serve?— Marino J. Dasmarinas

Ang Mabuting Balita at Repleksyon Huwebes Santo Abril 2 Misa sa Pagtatakipsilim sa Paghahapunan ng Panginoon: Juan 13:1-15

Mabuting Balita: Juan 13:1-15

Bisperas na ng Paskuwa. Alam ni Hesus na dumating na ang panahon ng kanyang paglisan sa sanlibutang ito upang bumalik sa Ama. Mahal niya ang kanyang mga tagasunod na nasa sanlibutan, at ngayo’y ipakikita niya kung hanggang saan ang kanyang pag-ibig sa kanila.

Naghahapunan si Hesus at ang mga alagad. Naisilid na ng diyablo sa isip ni Judas, anak ni Simon Iscariote, ang pagkakanulo kay Hesus. Alam ni Hesus na ibinigay na sa kanya ng Ama ang buong kapangyarihan; alam din niyang siya’y mula sa Diyos at babalik sa Diyos. Kaya’t nang sila’y naghahapunan, tumindig si Hesus, naghubad ng kanyang panlabas na kasuotan, at nagbigkis ng tuwalya.

Pagkatapos, nagbuhos siya ng tubig sa palanggana, at sinimulang hugasan ang paa ng mga alagad at punasan ng tuwalyang nakabigkis sa kanya. Paglapit niya kay Simon Pedro, tumutol ito. “Panginoon,” sabi niya, “diyata’t kayo pa ang maghuhugas ng aking mga paa?” Sumagot si Hesus, “Hindi mo nauunawan ngayon ang ginagawa ko, ngunit mauunawaan mo rin pagkatapos.” Sinabi sa kanya ni Pedro. “Hinding-hindi ko po pahuhugasan sa inyo ang aking mga paa.”

“Kung hindi kita huhugasan, wala kang kaugnayan sa akin,” tugon ni Hesus. Kaya’t sinabi ni Pedro, “Panginoon, hindi lamang po ang mga paa ko, kundi pati ang aking kamay at ulo!” Ani Hesus, “Maliban sa kanyang mga paa, hindi na kailangang hugasan pa ang naligo na, sapagkat malinis na ang kanyang buong katawan. At malinis na kayo, ngunit hindi lahat.” Sapagkat alam ni Hesus kung sino ang magkakanulo sa kanya, kaya sinabi niyang malinis na sila, ngunit hindi lahat.

Nang mahugasan na ni Hesus ang kanilang mga paa, siya’y nagsuot ng damit at nagbalik sa hapag. “Nauunawaan ba ninyo kung ano ang ginawa ko sa inyo?” tanong niya sa kanila. “Tinatawag ninyo akong Guro at Panginoon, at tama kayo, sapagkat ako nga. Kung akong Panginoon ninyo at Guro ay naghugas ng inyong mga paa, dapat din kayong mahugasan ng paa. Binigyan ko kayo ng halimbawa at ito’y dapat ninyong tularan.”

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Repleksyon:

Ano ang gagawin natin kung alam nating malapit na nating harapin ang huling hapunan ng ating buhay? Marahil ay tutuon tayo sa ating sarili. Maaaring piliin nating lumayo sa iba at taimtim na manalangin sa ating Diyos.

Ngunit si Jesus, na lubos na nakaaalam na dumating na ang Kanyang oras, ay pumili ng ibang landas. Sa Kanyang Huling Hapunan, hindi Niya inuna ang Kanyang sarili. Sa halip, Siya ay lumuhod at hinugasan ang mga paa ng Kanyang mga apostol—isang napakumbaba at napakalalim na gawa na nagpapahayag ng tunay na puso ng Diyos. Sa banal na sandaling iyon, ipinakita Niya sa atin na ang tunay na kadakilaan ay hindi nasusukat sa paglilingkod sa atin, kundi sa ating paglilingkod sa iba nang may pag-ibig.

Sa pamamagitan ng makapangyarihang gawaing ito, inukit ni Jesus sa puso ng Kanyang mga apostol—at sa ating mga puso rin—na kung nais nating tunay na sumunod sa Kanya, kailangan muna nating yakapin ang kababaang-loob. Tayo ay tinatawag upang maglingkod, magpakababa, at magmahal nang walang hinihintay na kapalit.

Ilang beses na bang may mga taong lumalayo sa ating pananampalataya dahil hindi nila nakikita ang kababaang-loob ni Jesus sa atin? Ilang beses na rin ba tayong hindi umuunlad sa pananampalataya dahil pinipili natin ang ating sarili—ang pagkilala, ang kaginhawahan—sa halip na ang sakripisyo at paglilingkod? Kung tapat tayo sa ating sarili, alam nating hindi madali ang isabuhay ang halimbawang iniwan ni Jesus.

Kung nais nating maging tunay na mga pinuno sa ating pamilya, komunidad, at pananampalataya, kailangan nating matutong maglingkod kaysa paglingkuran. Kailangan nating manguna hindi lamang sa salita kundi sa gawa—sa pamamagitan ng malasakit, pagtitiis, at pag-ibig na handang mag-alay ng sarili. Higit sa lahat, kailangan nating tahakin ang landas ng kababaang-loob na tinahak ni Jesus.

Sa Huwebes Santo na ito, habang pinagninilayan natin ang Kanyang mga salitang ito sa Ebanghelyo, “Binigyan ko kayo ng halimbawang dapat ninyong tularan, upang kung ano ang ginawa ko sa inyo, gayon din ang gawin ninyo” (Juan 13:15), buksan natin nang mas malalim ang ating mga puso sa Kanyang paanyaya.

At ngayon, tanungin natin ang ating mga sarili: Handa ba tayong lumuhod at maglingkod tulad ni Jesus—kahit mahirap, kahit walang nakakakita, kahit walang kapalit—o mas pinipili pa rin nating tayo ang paglingkuran kaysa maglingkod?— Marino J. Dasmarinas