Transcript of the Video Above

Daily reflections for Lenten Easter, written by Oblate Father Ron Rolheiser, OMI.

The Eucharist is not a private act of devotion meant to square our debts with God, but a call to and a grace for service. The Eucharist is meant to send us out into the world ready to give expression to Christ’s hospitality, humility and self effacement. Where do we get such a notion?

It lies at the very heart of the Eucharist itself. Jesus tells us this when he gives us the Eucharist with the words receive, give, thanks, break and share. This is everywhere evident in the Gospels, though John’s Gospel puts it the most clearly where the other gospels have Jesus speaking the words of institution at the Last Supper this is my body, this is my blood, do this in memory of me.

John has Jesus washing the disciples feet. For John, this gesture replaces the words of institution. It specifies what the Eucharist is in fact meant to do, namely to to lead us out of the church and into the humble service of others. An old hymn often used to send people forth from church puts it well.

Called from worship into service. Forth in his great name we go to the child, the youth, the aged love in living deeds to show. This wonderfully expresses what the Eucharist is meant to do. It is a call to move from worship to service, to take the nourishment, the embrace, the kiss we have just received from God and the community and translate it immediately and directly into loving service of others.

We should be on our knees washing each other’s feet because that is precisely what Jesus did at the first Eucharist.