The archbishop of Goa and Daman, Rev Filipe Neri Ferrao symbolically washes the feet of the faithful on Maundy Thursday at Se Cathedral, Old Goa. (Nandesh Kambli)
MARGAO: Priests are not angels. Lots of time they fall into temptation. But we need to give them support instead of condemnation. And if one priest makes a mistakes one should not blame all. This and love, sacrifice and forgiveness were the main themes running through the homily of the Holy Spirit Church assistant parish priest, Fr Freddy Lobo at Margao during Maundy Thursday.
Maundy Thursday is very much in line with the phrase Mandatum novum do vobis ut diligatis invicem sicut dilexi vos, which is the bedrock of Christianity, meaning ‘A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you’. Through this statement in the Gospel of John (13:34) Jesus explained to the apostles the significance of his action of washing their feet. Today too, symbolically, the priest -- a representative of Christ -- washed the feet of 12 persons chosen from a cross-section of the Margao community.
Most scholars agree that the English word Maundy is derived right from Middle
English, and Old French mandé, from the Latin mandatum. This very phrase is used as the antiphon sung during the ‘Mandatum’ ceremony of the washing of the feet.
Maundy Thursday also entails the figurative rendition of the Passover meal where Jesus surprised his disciples by symbolically offering them his body and blood as a sign of the new covenant, and reinforced this blessing with the washing of the feet, in servant-hood.
Maundy Thursday, also known as Holy Thursday, Covenant Thursday, Great and Holy Thursday, and Thursday of Mysteries, is the holy day falling before Good Friday and commemorates the Last Supper of Jesus Christ with the apostles.
This the fifth day of Holy Week is preceded by Holy Wednesday and initiates the Easter Triduum – or the three days of Friday, Saturday and Sunday that commemorate the Passion, death and resurrection of Jesus.
The washing of the feet is traditional in the observance of Maundy Thursday in many Christian Churches, including Roman Catholic, the Armenian, Ethiopian, Eastern Orthodox, Eastern Catholic, Brethren, and Mennonite.
