I have a sweatshirt that I like [show gold and green sweatshirt]. But whenever I wear it, there are people who assume things about me. They assume that I’m a Green Bay Packer fan. I’m not. I’m a die-hard Viking fan. If you look close you’ll see that the emblem on it represents Australia, not Green Bay. These are the Austalian national colors.
I am always amazed that whenever I wear my clerical shirt out in the world, I am treated differently. As you notice, I usually just wear it when I am presiding at Mass, or doing something official like visiting at the hospital. Generally I don’t like wearing it. It’s like a uniform or a costume and people make all sorts of assumptions about me when I wear it. That I am different than they, or holier than they . . . and I’m not.
We tend to do that with clothing, we assume things about the person. For example, by that shirt or that cap I assume to have you all figured out. We all do it. Maybe even the disciples did it. That’s why the stripping of Jesus before he washed their feet was so significant. The gospel says that he took off his outer garment. Perhaps he stood there naked before in a loin-cloth (underwear), but whatever condition he was in, that fact that scripture even mentions it, is a big deal.
It’s like Jesus was teaching the disciples (again) to take away their ideas about him . . . that he is their leader, their Rabbi, their Messiah. Instead he strips that all away to become like a servant, (who usually did the feet washing, for washing of feet was a common ritual . . . with so much dry and dusty roadway/pathways, it was an attempt to make people feel comfortable.)
To strip away our outer garments is key to understanding what tonight is really about. You see, we are here because of the power and potential of the Eucharist. And the Eucharist which the Vatican II Council declared is the source and summit of who we are.
But we don’t just RECEIVE the Eucharist. But as Paul pointed out the second reading in his letter to the Corinthians, when he was at the Last Supper he said, “DO this in remembrance of him.” Do what? Eat the presence of Jesus in the host; drink his presence in the cup. It’s not a symbol. It’s his real presence. But why do we consume it? We receive the Eucharist to BECOME Eucharist.
Think of Eucharist as a verb, not a noun. It’s an action. We are to BE the body of Christ. That is, we are to be hope for a world overwhelmed in tiredness. We are to be peacemakers in a world overshadowed with senseless killings. We are to be light in the world that only sees darkness.
In another part of the gospel of John, Jesus says two things about the future: first, we will do greater works than he did; and second, that he has many more things to tell us. Where do we start? Think of winter time. Think of a heavy snowfall. Think of a tree branch that is covered with snow and it’s almost ready to break. And then there’s the ONE snowflake that comes down and lands on the branch and it breaks. It changes forever. Maybe your one little action is that snowflake that could change the world. It starts in little ways.
This is the year of a Eucharist revival. But if the Eucharist is to be revived, it starts with: adorations, processions, Holy Hours and receiving the Eucharist often. AND it continues with action. Each day, you can decide to BE Eucharist, that is, to follow Jesus and become who you are meant to be. Maybe there are somethings you could start doing . . . e.g. pick up one piece of trash as you walk, offer a compliment, let that car merge ahead of you, don’t leave church so quickly but linger a bit. Or maybe it’s something you stop doing . . . e.g. stop looking at Social Media so often, stop complaining about THOSE people and go chat with them, stop staying stuck in only focusing on the what is not working so well.
In a bit, we will offer a ritual of coming up with naked feet, or one naked foot, and be reminded that we are all in this together. With our feet naked, we can’t pretend to be other than ourselves . . . there’s no fancy shoes or socks to hide behind.
Again, we receive the Eucharist to BECOME Eucharist. Go now, to live our Mission Statement . . . to love God and live the Eucharist.