At the Mass of the Lord’s Supper, commemorating the institution of the Eucharist, on Maundy Thursday, 29th March 2018, in Westminster Cathedral, Cardinal Vincent washed the feet of 12 Chelsea Pensioners, recalling the Lord’s washing of his disciples’ feet at the Last Supper. Concelebrating the Mass were the Apostolic Nuncio Archbishop Edward Joseph Adams and Bishop Emeritus of Menevia Bishop Mark Jabalé.
In his homily, Cardinal Nichols described the nature of Christ’s sacrifice, and how it began with the Passover Meal ‘It was a sacrifice offered to God and meal through which that sacrifice was shared by the people’ and how in the Mass we mark ‘a new sacrifice, now made in the body and blood of Christ and shared in this Eucharistic meal’
This sacrifice, that was made by one who is ‘truly God and truly man’ is what ‘touches us every time Mass is celebrated’, Cardinal Vincent went on. ‘We sense that coming together of our humanity and the great power of the Holy Spirit’
Lastly he asked ‘rejoice in this message: that in both the service and sacrifice of Jesus our brother, the eternal and living God is in our midst, and our hearts are raised in wonder and awe at this miracle of truth. We pray that some part of the coming together of the divine and human, this remarkable synergy, will happen in our lives too, for the service of those around us and of those most in need.’
After Communion, the Blessed Sacrament was solemnly processed from the sanctuary to the Altar of Repose in the Lady Chapel. The high altar in the sanctuary is stripped and all bells are silenced, adding to the mournful atmosphere for the Solemn Commemoration of the Lord’s Passion on Good Friday.
The homily can be read in full here.
Pictures from the Mass can be found here.
