[stephenkhoo]

FAITH AND COMMUNION WITH JESUS AS PREREQUISITE FOR SHARING THE MISSION OF JESUS
SCRIPTURE READINGS: ACTS 13:13-25;. JN 13:16-20
http://www.universalis.com/20140515mass.htm

“I tell you most solemnly, whoever welcomes the one I send welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.” These words of Jesus to His disciples must be understood in the context of the washing of feet as suggested at the beginning of today’s gospel when we are told “after he had washed the feet of his disciples, Jesus said to them …”


Firstly, we must remember that for St John, he had no institution of the Eucharist. The washing of feet takes the place of the institution. In washing the feet of the disciples, Jesus was dramatizing His whole life, which is one long series of emptying Himself for the love of God and His fellowmen, even unto death on the cross. The implication therefore is that we are all called to follow in the way of service. To celebrate the Eucharist is to celebrate the memory of His love for us.


However, there can be no real celebration of the Eucharist if there is no ordained minister. Although it is true that the command to “Do this in memory of me” is given to all, which makes us all share in the common Christian priesthood, yet there is a distinction between the common and ordained priesthood. The apostles and their successors in a special way share in the one priesthood in a different mode by their sacramental representation of Christ, acting in persona Christi and in capitis. Without apostolic succession, there is no real presence in the Eucharist because of the powers of making the Eucharist present. So the ministerial priesthood is at the service of the common priesthood. For this reason in a real and sacramental way, the words of Jesus are applied to the apostles when He said, “whoever welcomes the one I send welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.’” This is because Jesus is identified with the ordained ministers and acts through and in them.


Of course the washing of feet does not only have bearing on the question of the Eucharist and the Christian Priesthood, it also has implications with regard to the question of baptism. The washing of feet in an oblique manner also refers to the sacrament of baptism and the sacrament of reconciliation. When Jesus told Peter that if He did not wash his feet, he would have no share of Him, He was telling him that unless he is baptized and reconciled with God in Him, then he would not be incorporated in the body of Christ and therefore would place himself outside the Eucharistic body.


Consequently, when we put all these together, the Eucharist, the Sacraments of baptism and reconciliation; and the Priesthood, then we can recognize the importance of the common priesthood. All these sacraments are meant to help the common priesthood to grow in love and service for the Lord. In a wider sense, therefore, when Jesus told the disciples that they were identified with Him, it is also true that in some ways, every baptized Christian is identified with Christ. They, too, share in the kingly, prophetic and priestly office of Jesus Christ.


To be baptized means to be His witnesses as well. Every baptized Christian shares in the mission of Jesus by virtue of his incorporation into Him. Hence we are sent as His witnesses. We are called to be involved in the mission of Christ to the world. We are His representatives in the world. Thus, there is no excuse for not being involved in the mission of the Church and in the world. But what is implied in being His witnesses in the world? In other words, what are the prerequisites to serve the Lord?


Firstly, we must recognize that He is the Messiah, the Good Shepherd after the heart of God. This is what the first reading tells us. “I have selected David son of Jesse, a man after my own heart, who will carry out my whole purpose.” To keep his promise, God has raised up for Israel one of David’s descendants, Jesus, as Saviour, whose coming was heralded by John.”


Secondly, we must recognize that He is the Son of God. “’I tell you this now, before it happens, so that when it does happen you may believe that I am He. I tell you most solemnly, whoever welcomes the one I send welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.’” In saying that “I am he”, Jesus is affirming His identity with the Father. For this reason to welcome Jesus is to welcome the Father.


Thirdly, this faith in Him is presupposed at our baptism. “To keep his promise, God has raised up for Israel one of David’s descendants, Jesus, as Saviour, whose coming was heralded by John when he proclaimed a baptism of repentance for the whole people of Israel.” This baptism of repentance is replaced with the Christian baptism of faith in Jesus symbolized by the washing of feet. It must be noted that the discourse follows the washing of the feet of His disciples.


Fourthly, once we recognize that we are called to be His emissaries, then we realize that we are called to be His servants like John the Baptist who said, “I am not the one you imagine me to be; that one is coming after me and I am not fit to undo his sandal.” Yes, like Jesus who emptied Himself in service to others, we are called to serve the Church and the world.


But to be His servants we must act like Jesus. “’I tell you most solemnly, no servant is greater than his master, no messenger is greater than the man who sent him. Now that you know this, happiness will be yours if you behave accordingly.” This means that if we were to be His servant and messenger we must be like Jesus. Jesus could be the Servant of God only because He was one with His Father in every way. He submitted humbly to the Father in everything. It was His consciousness of belonging to the Father that enabled Him to act just like the Father in love and service.


We, too, if we want to be His true servants, we must depend on Jesus since we are called to act in persona Christi. We must not act as if we are better than Jesus and that we do not need anyone to help us. We must act with Him and from Him. On the contrary, we need even more divine assistance from Jesus. We need to grow in love, humility and service like our master. We need to die to ourselves so completely like Him since we are no greater than Him.


This is possible only through prayer and formation. As evangelizers of Jesus, we need to deepen our union and relationship with Him; and this requires formation as well. Today, in the first reading, we see how Paul instructed the Jews regarding how God was gradually preparing them to welcome Jesus as the Messiah. Paul in a pedagogical manner took them through the history of salvation and demonstrated to them that Christ is the promised Messiah from the House of David, a man whom God said, is “after my own heart, who will carry out my whole purpose.”


Yes, if we want to be good lay faithful we must focus on our spiritual, doctrinal and human formation. We must once again turn afresh by contemplating on the face of Jesus to develop a life of prayer and holiness. We must deepen our knowledge of Jesus and the doctrines of the Church so that we can strengthen our faith and be able to explain to others adequately. Finally, we must learn to acquire new skills so that we can be of service to the church and the world.


Yes, we must avoid making the same mistake as Judas. He was a rebel who relied on himself and his own agenda. He was not in communion with Jesus. Jesus said, “I am not speaking about all of you: I know the ones I have chosen; but what scripture says must be fulfilled: Someone who shares my table rebels against me.” Let us pray that we will be humble like John the Baptist who put Jesus before himself. He knew that he was only a messenger. Christ must increase and he must decrease. We too in our work in the Church and in the world must make Christ increase, known and loved; not ourselves.

Written by The Most Rev William Goh