Christians in Kabale Diocese have joined the rest of the world in celebrating Holy Thursday also known as Maundy Thursday or the Thursday of the Lord’s Supper with Mass presided over by Rt. Rev. Callist Rubaramira, Bishop of Kabale Diocese with a call embrace sacrificial love and genuine service to others as a true expression of their faith.
With the celebration of Mass on the evening of Holy Thursday, the Catholic Church begins Easter Triduum and recalls Last Supper in which the Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, showing his love for those who were his own in the world, he gave his body and blood under the species of bread and wine offering to his Father and giving them to the Apostles so that they might partake of them, and he commanded them and their successors in the priesthood to perpetuate this offering.
During this Mass, attention is drawn to the mysteries commemorated: institution of the Eucharist, institution of the Priesthood and Christ command of brotherly love which were explained in the homily by Fr. Austen Christmas, Parish Priest of Rushoroza Cathedral.
He said that from the first Reading (Exodus 12), at the Passover, all Israelites were to slaughter a first born lamb with its blood smeared on doorposts so that the angel of death could spare them while eliminating the enemy (Egyptians). Jesus becomes this new sacrifice whose blood is of a new and eternal covenant.
Fr. Austen pointed out that on Holy Thursday, Jesus instituted two sacraments: Holy Orders and Eucharist. He also showed the example of a servant leader by washing his disciples’ feet. The two sacraments cannot be separated because a priest alone is to celebrate the Eucharist so that Jesus’ sacrifice can be celebrated always in memory of him.
Fr. Christmas noted that God demonstrated genuine love for humanity through sacrifice, noting that despite mankind’s sinfulness, God’s love never changed, ultimately giving His only son for the salvation of the world. He urged the faithful that their Love must be sacrificial and genuine and imitate Christ by serving others humbly instead of expecting to always be served.
He challenged believers to reflect on their attitudes toward responsibility and service, noting that many people desire recognition and benefits but are unwilling to make sacrifices for others. He called on Christians to pray for the grace to love and serve others in the same way they would want to be loved and served, noting that true love is costly and requires sacrifice.
During Mass, Bishop Callist Rubaramira washed the feet of 12 people (6 men and 6 women) to commemorate when Jesus washed the feet of his 12 Apostles at the Last Supper. This was an expression of true servant leadership when Jesus the master lowered himself to the level of a servant to wash his disciples’ feet and commanded them to do the same as he had given them an example with a law command to love others as he had loved them.
In his remarks, Bishop Callist Rubaramira appealed for the Christians to pray for peace especially in the Holy Land where Christians were barred from celebrating Holy week. Reiterating the call of Pope Leo XIV, Bishop Callist appealed for a ceasefire in war torn areas and requested that prayers for peace be included in morning and evening prayers by every Christian imploring that peace of Christ may reign.
As the tradition of the Church, after the celebration of Mass, the Blessed Sacrament was transferred to another place to signify the movement of Jesus to the garden of Gethsemane where the Jews would find him and arrest him leading him to Calvary for execution on Good Friday.
