what's my never?

 what's my never?

Homily

Holy Thursday 

28 March 2024

St. Lawrence Catholic Campus Center at the University of Kansas

AMDG

No no no no no no no - never!  How many no's did you bring to Mass tonight?  What's your ultimate no? What's your never?

Mine is easy.  It's the same as Peter's.  Don't humiliate me, Lord.  Don't patronize me.  I can wash my own feet.  I don't need you to do that.  I got this.  You will never.

What's your last no?  What's your never?

Peter had multiple nevers!  You will never be crucified on my watch, Jesus!  Wrong!  Get behind me Satan.  You're not thinking as God does.  Jesus, I will never deny you - ever! Wrong!  Tonight is his final never never.  You will never wash my feet!  Ugh, wrong again.

Whatever no's you brought here tonight, whatever is your never, I doubt it will survive this night. For tonight you're up against a guy who is the absolute worst at taking no for an answer.  Hang onto your never tonight if you can.  I dare you.  In fact, I'm going to bet against you.

For whenever I tell this guy no, He moves, so that my every step away to escape from Him is transformed into a potential yes that can bring us together again.  And when this guy moves, he moves decisively and dramatically.

Our first parents said no in the garden.  No, I will not trust. No, I will not serve.  In response, He moves.  From the no of the garden He chooses to see the Fiat of the new Eve. So He moves, dramatically and decisively, from the abundant heart of His Father to the womb of a poor little girl.

What do I say to this baby?  No!  No, I will not hold you. I'm busy. Stop bothering me. Get rid of Him. Away with Him. Kill him. Crucify Him.

In response to the no of Calvary, from the denial of Peter who ran away scared, Jesus could see the pathetic yes of a priest like me.  So He moves again!  He moves not only through the yes of the Immaculate Virgin, but even more dramatically and decisively through my sin-soaked words, to be born on this altar!  Here I am!  You thought you got rid of me, didn't you?  But I'm really bad at taking no for an answer.  This is my body broken for you.  This is my blood, poured out for you!

What do I say to the gift of the Eucharist?  I say no!  What will you give me to hand Him over? My faith and my love can be bought! Yes, it is one of you eating with me at the table, the one who takes the morsel, who will betray me!  Surely not I, Lord?  You have said so.

What's your next move, Jesus?  From the no of the ways I abuse and betray Him at the altar, He can still see a yes in you, and He thirsts for it.  He can see your little yes, and He won't ever quit on it.  He doesn't know how.  Trust me, the guy is crazy.  Your yes means everything to Him, and He bets all that He is on you.

Lord, I do not deserve for you to come under my roof, but only say the word.  So He moves through your tiny yes, more dramatically and decisively than ever, from this altar into your body.

Still, the greatest distance remains.  Still, Jesus is just starting to move.  Unless I wash your feet too, you will have no part in me.  No way, Lord!  Never!  I can wash my own feet, for God's sake.   Leave my feet alone so I can walk my own path.  Don't humiliate me. You will never!

Take it from me, this dude will not listen.  Ask Peter if you don't believe me.  Unless I wash your feet, unless I get past your last no, your never, all of this is for nothing, and I have failed.  All of this. His moving from the heart of the Father, through the womb of Mary, through Calvary, to this altar, into the abyss of your body - none of it matters unless you also let Him wash your feet.

So what is your never?  Whatever it is, no matter how tightly you cling to it, just know what you're up against.  He's the absolute worst at taking no for an answer.

He has come all this way in case any of us might say yes to His washing our feet.  The sign that He got past our never, is that we will wash one another's feet.

+mj