A COMMENTARY ON THE MASS OF THE LORD’S SUPPER

HOLY THURSDAY

YEAR A,B,C

PART ONE: BRIEF HISTORICAL INTRODUCTION

Dear Fathers! Dear Sisters and Brothers in the Lord Jesus Christ!

With the joy of the Lord, I welcome you to this mass of the Lord’s Supper which
marks the beginning of Paschal joy brought by the Paschal Mysteries. This
liturgical event begins the solemn celebration of the greatest mysteries of our
redemption. With it the church commences the keeping of the annual sacramental
memorial of the greatest events of the mystery of her Lord and by it re-enacts the
graces of salvation won for us by our Lord. The golden or festal-white color of the
vestments today signifies an anticipation of the Paschal joy which would reach
climax and consummation on Easter Sunday.

Though this liturgical event has been known by various Names, including: Maundy
Thursday Rendition referring to the symbolic recitation of the creed in some
ancient liturgies/rites by the Catechumens getting ready for baptism, before the
bishop or his representative; Pedilavium-refrering to the washing of the feet;
Capitilavium-referring to the washing of the head (practiced in some ancient rites
and sometime too on Passion Sunday). Its official and oldest name is Feria Quinta
in Coena Domini, meaning, Thursday of the Pasch. Other names and appellation
by which this celebration has been known include:

Etomolegesis: The reconciliation and absolution of penitents. Pope Innocent 1 in a

letter to Decentus of Gubbio testified that in Rome, it was customary on Quinta
Feria Pascha to absolve penitents from their sins. On this day, penitents hear the
Missa Pro Reconciliatione Paenitentium and are absolved before the offertory.
Also the Sacramentary of Pope Galasius contains an Ordo Agentibus Publican
Poenitentiam used for this celebration.

Olei Exorciazati: The consecration of Holy Oils. Since the 5 th century, the
consecration of Chrism Oil on Holy Thursday has existed. This is the ‘Comes
Hieromym’ and the Gregorian and Gelasian Sacramentaries as well as the ‘Missa

1
Ambroseiana of Pamelius’, all agree on the confection of communion of the
Chrism on this day.

Anniversarum Eucharistiae: Euchaistic Anniversary, since it was a

commemoration of the Lord’s Supper, the event during which the Holy Eucharist
was instituted by the Lord Jesus.

From some of the descriptions above, it is clear that this celebration, though very
ancient was not originally a part of the Paschal Celebration, but a day of
preparation for the Paschal celebration. Yet it is the oldest of the holy observances
peculiar to the Hoy week. The special commemoration of the institutions of the
Holy Eucharist on this day is first attested to in the documents of the North African
Council of Hippo in 393AD and subsequently, abundant references are made of it.
Particularly in Rome, and latter in other places, various accessory ceremonies
began to be added to this commemoration: the consecration of oil, the washing of
feet, the reconciliation of penitents, et cetera.

In various parts of the then Christian North Africa, the celebration of Holy
Thursday took place after the evening meal, in order to concretely capture the
temporal context and exact circumstance of the celebration as a ‘supper’- an
evening meal. This practice spread to other parts of the world. And to enable the
faithful to communicate during the mass, without the usual ‘fast’ practiced at that
time, before communion, Canon24 of the Council of Carthage (in North Africa)
dispensed the faithful from fasting before communion of Holy Thursday; since the
mass was in the evening.

However, as the year went by, on account of the difficulties arising from the
obligation of fast before communion among others the nocturnal nature of Holy
Thursday Celebration increasingly fell into disfavor, and eventually in 692AD, the
Council of Trullo formerly prohibited it from being celebrated in the night. It took
the liturgical reforms of Pope Pius XII, in his Holy Week Ordinal to restore the
celebration of the evening hour, with a view to capture the actual context of the
vent as a ‘supper’.

PART 2: SOME SIGNIFICANCES OF THIS EVENT

2
This celebration, this evening, marks the beginning of the Sacred Paschal Triduum
as well as the end of the Lenten season. So Lent ends this evening and the Easter
Triduum begins this evening, with this very celebration.

However, it is recommended that the Lenten Fast, now the Paschal Fast, should be
continued until Holy Saturday. This is to enable the faithful come with uplifted
spirit to the joys of the Lord’s resurrection on Easter Sunday.

Even though we are still in the Season of the Passion of the Lord, the celebration
today, is a joyful one. It is a festal celebration. The vestments are white, signifying
joy and at the same time anticipating the joy of Easter.

The Gloria that has been omitted all through the season of Lent would be sung
today amid the ringing of bells and the beating of other musical instruments, these
are preliminary signs of joy, signifying that the Church is beginning the Paschal
Mysteries. But after this, the bells will go silent until the Vigil Mass of the
Resurrection.

According to an ancient tradition of the Church, all private masses (Missa Since
Populo) are prohibited today. Rather all priests in a particular community are to
participate together in this celebration, with a sufficient number of lay ministers,
choristers and a large congregation.

This is to make for a fitting celebration of the Lord’s Supper, in a noble and
dignifying manner. It is recommended that this celebration be done in a Cathedral
or Parochial Church and that at least some part of the mass be sung. All these go to
show the dignity and importance of this celebration.

Today is a feast day for priests. But although priests have earlier today attended
Chrism Masses to renew their priestly vows and allegiance to their various
Bishops, it is this mass of the Lord’s Supper that actually commemorates the
institution of the priesthood. Above all, this mass of the Lord’s Supper
commemorates the institution of the Holy Eucharist, since it was the Last Supper
that the Lord Jesus instituted both the Holy Eucharist and Holy Orders as minister
of the Holy Eucharist.

Another major significance of this evening’s celebration is the “Mandatum”- the

washing of feet. By this gesture, the Church recalls, the humility of Jesus and the

3
lessons of love and service he taught us, with the mandate to do as he did. This
Liturgical act which has been part of Holy Thursday Mass of the Lord’s Supper
since the 7thcentury indicates the church’s readiness to carry on the commands of
Jesus her Lord.

Finally, to indicate that the Lord has begun the journey of his passion, after this
Mass the Alter will be stripped and left bare, the tabernacle will be emptied and the
cross will be lowered or removed from the centre of the church. And to show that
the ‘Triduum Paschale’ has begun and continues, the mass today will not be
concluded in the usual manner, both prayers and adoration will continue at the altar
of repose until the Good Friday celebration of the Passion of the Lord.

Today also, after the mass, the Church would require us to keep vigil with the Lord
at the altar of repose. In the Catholic tradition, mass is not celebrated on Good
Friday.Therefore, the host to be used for communion tomorrow will be consecrated
today and after the Post Communion Prayer, the sacred species would be
transferred to the Alter of Repose with songs and solemnity. At the altar of repose,
as on that day at Gethsemane, we shall all be required to do what the Apostles
failed to do; to pray and watch with the Lord for at least one hour.

Dear fathers, dear sisters and brothers, may we now with devotion and reverence
begin this year’s Paschal Triduum celebration.

PART 3: THE MASS IN PROGRESS

4
Before the First Reading:

-Exodus 12: 1-8;11-14

God commands Moses and Aaron and all Israel to keep an annual memorial of the
Passover. This should be a celebration and a remembrance of their liberaton from
Egypt – the land of Exile, and shall be observed as a perpetual ordinance by all
generations of Israel.

Before the Second Reading:

-1 Corinthians 11: 23-36

Paul testifies that the Eucharist is a tradition he received from the Lord; and urges
the Corinthian church as well as all of us today to keep on this tradition, in memory
of the Lord (Anamnesis).

Before the Gospel Reading:

-John 13:1-15

Aware that the hour has come, the Lord Jesus demonstrates the depth of his love
for his Apostles, by washing their feet; and so gives them an example to follow.

Before the Mandatum

-Jn 13:4-34

Now the Principal Celebrant will now wash the feet of 12 members of this
community signifying a total commitment to the mandate given to us by Jesus to
love and serve one another, amid the singing of the ancient hymn ‘Mandatum
Novum Do Vobis’- a new commandment I give you (Jn 13:34) and other
appropriate hymns.

After the Post-Communion Prayer:

5
With the minor ministers bearing the Thurrible and Lighted Candles, the Principal
Celebrant with other Concelebrating Priest would now carry the Blessed
Sacrament to the altar of repose; we accompany them singing the ancient hymn of
the Blessed Eucharist- the Pange Lingua, omitting the last two stanzas. All shall
kneel as the procession begins. After the incensation at the altar of repose, the
Tantum Ergo would be sung to signal the beginning of Eucharistic adoration.

PART 4: OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

With the alter now stripped, the central tabernacle emptied and the cross lowered
or covered, all attention now goes to the Alter of Repose, where we shall keep vigil
with the Lord. This is the order of the vigil:

Visitors and members of the non- academic staff

8:00- 9:00pm

Tomko Hostel

9:00pm – 10:00pm

Wetter Hostel

10:00pm – 11:00pm

Mayer Hostel

11:00 – 12:00am.

Tomorrow, Good Friday of the Lord’s Passion, is a day of penance for the whole
church and is marked by fasting and abstinence from meat. It is recommended that
the Lauds begin at 6:00am; the Station of the Cross begins at 3:00pm while the
celebration of the Lord’s Passion begins at 6:00pm.

In the spirit of the passion, it is recommended that everything, both here and
outside be done in a solemn and silent manner.

Thank you and remain blessed.