So that as I have done for you, you should also do

Ex 12,1-8.11-14; Ps 115; 1 Cor 11,23-26; Jn 13,1-15
18 APRIL

True teaching is like learning an art. Art is learned not only with words, but also and above all by showing concretely and visibly, how things are done. In order for an artist to reach the peak of learning, he must use every sense: hearing, sight, smell, taste and touch. If one sense fails, it is not put at the service of art, there will always be a deficiency. The other four senses can also make up for the lack of one, however there will always be something missing. One cannot speak of a very perfect science. Even the mind, the desire, the will must be put at the service of the art that one wants to exercise. Then, for certain arts the three cardinal virtues of faith, hope and charity are needed. For all the four cardinal virtues of prudence, justice, fortitude and temperance are obligatory. Finally, for one to be always an updated and efficient artist at work, he must stay away from vice and be rich in all virtues. Vice makes the artist inconstant, vagabond, apathetic, deprives him of his talent, removes the light of intelligence and the agility of the same body. Instead, virtue multiplies almost to infinity every human possibility. What is the art that every disciple of Jesus will have to exercise throughout his life? His art, which is his specific vocation and mission, is that of the most pure love of donation, offering, sacrifice and holocaust to be done to God so that He is the one to transform our life into a true instrument of salvation for every other man. In this art of love, he must have Jesus Christ Crucified before his eyes. But only seeing Christ is not enough. It is also necessary that the Holy Spirit is there as the Master. It is He who will have to teach us how the model must be looked at and what the smallest details to study in order to have a perfect vision of Him, so as to be able to imitate him, are. Imitation does not consist in doing what He has done, but in doing what the Spirit suggests to us, following his model of perfect annihilation in the gift.

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.

True Master of his disciples, Jesus has always shown them how every man must be served always starting from the will of the Father, in the full motion of the Holy Spirit. If we separate service from the obedience to the Word of God and the Spirit, never ours might be said to be service to love, truth, justice, salvation, charity, faith and hope. Now the last two great teachings to be shown how they must be lived, remain to him. The first teaching is on the love that every disciple owes to the other disciple. It must go as far as bending down before the other, doing even the most humble services. Washing feet was the task of the servants to the owners. The other service is, showing how far love must reach: until giving the disciple’s life to the other disciple, just as Jesus gave his life to the Father. These two services are obligatory for the disciple to the other disciple. This is the art of love.

Mother of God, Angels and Saints, teach every disciple to love like Jesus.