Holy Thursday always touches me in a special way. It is a day that invites me to silence my heart and immerse myself in the mystery of Christ’s love, which is revealed not only in words, but in concrete gestures of dedication and service.
As I recall the Last Supper, I feel deeply challenged by Jesus’ gesture of washing the feet of his disciples. He, the Master, becomes a servant, inverting the logic of power and teaching me that true greatness lies in humility and service to others. This act challenges me to reflect on my own attitudes.
Our Founder, Father Gailhac, in his letter of 30 November 1881, appeals to his daughters the humility that Jesus shows in this act, as a much-needed virtue: “Let us seek to penetrate it in the light of faith; Jesus Christ, when he came into the world, emptied himself, taking the form of a slave… This motivates me to say that without the virtue of humility, one cannot attain any other virtue, nor the daily transformation to which I am invited by the Founder of the RSCM. Am I willing to humble myself to serve those who need me? Am I capable of loving to the end, as He loved, and allowing myself to be transformed by Him?
The institution of the Eucharist also invites me to deep introspection. By saying, “This is my body, which is given for you” (Lk 22:19), Jesus offers me not only a rite, but a way of life: the total gift of myself. Participating in the Eucharist is, for me, a call to be bread broken for others, to be a presence that nourishes.
On this day, as we begin the Easter Triduum, I feel invited to renew my commitment to following Jesus, embracing the cross that is proposed to me and trusting in the certainty of the resurrection. It is a time of grace, of reviewing my life and of renewing my faith.
May this Holy Thursday not be just a liturgical remembrance, but a transformative experience that impels me to live love, humility and transformation in their purest and most radical form.
By Sister Rosita Eugénio
Photo: Unsplash
