Holy Thursday ends Jesus’ preaching ministry and leads directly to his passion. A great number of events happen in one day’s time. They tell us much about Jesus and his love for us. Despite what he knew was going to happen, despite the fact that he knew he was going to be betrayed, and not just by Judas, he instituted the priesthood and gave his closest disciples his very being in the Mystical Supper. “Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed, and broke it, and gave it to the disciples and said, ‘Take, eat; this is my body.’ And he took a cup, and when he had given thanks he gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink of it, all of you; for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you I shall not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father’s kingdom.’ And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives” (Matthew 26:26 – 30).
What was to happen after such a glorious height? Will his disciples, strengthened by grace, strengthened by communion, stay with their Master? No. Jesus knew they would not, and he even told them that they will flee. He knew that they will leave him behind. He knew that they will abandon him and let him be taken in by the authorities. “Then Jesus said to them, ‘You will all fall away because of me this night; for it is written, `I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered. But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.” Peter declared to him, ‘Though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Truly, I say to you, this very night, before the cock crows, you will deny me three times‘” (Matthew 26:31 – 34).
Even the apostles did not persevere against sin after communion. Even they were to find at the end of their spiritual climb a crashing spiritual defeat. Even the apostles sinned after receiving communion. Even they sinned – after their first communion! Even the apostles sinned – after the first communion, the prototype of all liturgical celebrations.
Thus it should not surprise us that we, too, after our communion, might find ourselves sinning soon afterward. Even when we pray to live without sin, our concupiscence can come back, distract us, and brings us falling out of our spiritual height and back down to our sinful habits. When this happens we should be sorrowful but we must not despair. Christ came to be with us sinners! And he showed us at his last supper the fact that there will always be forgiveness of sin to those who seek it. “And during supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him, Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God, rose from supper, laid aside his garments, and girded himself with a towel. Then he poured water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which he was girded” (John 13:2-5). For once we have been cleansed in baptism, we will still tread the path of life. Our feet will grow dirty. If we want to be with Christ, we too must let him wash our feet.
When the glorious disciples were enlightened at the washing of their feet before the supper, then the impious Judas was darkened, ailing with avarice, and to the lawless judges he betrays Thee, the Righteous Judge. Behold, O lover of money, this man who because of money hanged himself. Flee from the greedy soul which dared such things against the Master. O Lord Who are good towards all men, glory to Thee (Troparion, Holy Thursday).
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