April 6th

April 6, 2023
Holy Thursday
Ms. Lauren Rieves: History/Girls Athletics Coach
Readings: Ex 12:1-8, 11-14/1 Cor 11:23-26/Jn 13:1-15 (39)

Be good people. Do good acts of kindness. Love like Jesus.

In today’s Gospel reading from John 13:1-15, Jesus and his Disciples are at the
Last Supper. Time and time again throughout this Lenten season we have heard gospels
of Jesus teaching us the way to go. Which leads me to my next lesson. How many of us
have a favorite teacher/mentor/family member? What do we like about them? What
attracts us to this person? How many of us have had a teacher/mentor/family member
that was hard on us? How many of us have been grounded by our parents or told by a
teacher/mentor/guarded, or told “No,” and my personal favorite, “because I said so.”
Looking at today's Gospel, it is no different from our everyday lives of having these
people in our lives who hold us accountable. Those people in your life are there for a
reason. People are in your life to teach you or to grow you. No matter what the
situation is there is always a lesson or a teaching moment with everyone we meet. In
today’s Gospel, it is no different. Jesus is again laying out what we need to do on this
Earth to truly follow God. 
Jesus actively taught his disciples throughout his time on Earth. He healed, He
Loved, and Jesus ultimately showed us how even in the darkest of moments to treat
others. Jesus knew that Judas was going to betray Him, and Jesus knew Peter was going
to deny Him. Yet one line that makes me very emotional is “He loved his own in the
world and he loved them to the end (John 13:1).” Jesus, even in his darkest moments,
continued to love people. Jesus treated others with kindness as he washed the feet of
people who would betray him and lie that they never knew him. Jesus continued to be
who He is. 
In a world that continues to tell us to fight fire with fire, in a world that
continues to tell us that if we don’t look, think, act, or believe the same we must be
“enemies.” Jesus continued to love his people, even to the very end. So, here is some
advice to take with us not only just as this Lent season is ending, but for you to take
with you as you continue on through life. 
Number 1: Be A Good Person. How many of us remember all the times when
Jesus stuck up for people who were persecuted, or even allowed those who were going
to ultimately betray him to eat at his table? Did Jesus turn those people away? Did Jesus
get angry and curse them? Did Jesus yell at them to get out and try to “cancel” the
people who ultimately will wrong him? Did he stop loving them because they made a
horrific mistake? No, Jesus continued to be good to those around him. Jesus invited
them to eat at his table and he did the most unselfish thing. He washed their feet and

by doing so, he made them clean after the Last Supper and the next phase of life
without him physically present. 
Number 2: Do Good in This World. Time and time again in the Gospels we read
about Jesus helping the sick, poor, and needy, and doing for others that honestly could
never repay Jesus. Does Jesus only help those that could repay Him? Does Jesus only
work with people who are easy to get along with? Jesus is asking us to help those
around us. Jesus taught the Disciples how to go out into the world and be these great
forces of change for good. To go out and help be kind to one another, because being
kind honestly does not cost you an actual cent or dime. Not one time do we see Jesus
seeking power or getting ahead by helping others. For Jesus, it was about showing the
world how to be to people. This could be feeding the poor, donating clothing, or just
being kind in the face of hate. Ultimately Jesus is telling us to do good in this world
even though we may be persecuted or made fun of for it.
Number 3: Love Like Jesus.  Jesus continued to teach those around Him by loving
them. This could oftentimes be tough love. This could often be a love that was truth-
telling about all the wrong going on. This love could be sticking up for someone who is
being persecuted. Jesus’ love could even be seen in the final hours of His life when He
broke bread with them in the Last Supper and washed the Disciple’s feet. Jesus calls us
to love one another. The love I am talking about is one of friendship and fellowship. To
care for those that can never repay you or even be kind back to you. This is what we are
asked to do. We are not called by God to just love those that are easy to love or who
love us back. We are called to be kind to one another in the hardest moments. Jesus
made a choice, with the knowledge of betrayal and ultimately being handed over to
Pontius Pilate for death, to wash the feet of His Disciples, this does include Peter and
Judas. Jesus continued to love those who persecute and mock Him. Just as Jesus loved,
so are we called to love.
So, in a world where there are many Peters and Judas’, where we may seem more
divided than alike, or in a world that tells us to hate our differences, be like Jesus. Be A
Good Person. Do Good in The World. Love Like Jesus.