A Reflection on Holy Thursday by Fr. Joseph Jablonski, MSC

1. “…You should also do.”
A Reflection on Holy Thursday
By. Fr. Joseph Jablonski, MSC
The Missionaries of the Sacred Heart  USA Province
305 S. Lake Street, PO Box 270  Aurora, IL 60507 (630) 892-2371  info@misacor-usa.org

2. It is so easy to ritualize the Lord’s command and
stop there with solemn Church ceremonies.

3. However that is
not what we are
called to do.

4. We wash feet during the Liturgy
of the Last Supper

5. and remember it was the beginning of his
passion…

6. …“as I have done for you, you
should also do”

7. Jesus’ washing of
his disciple’s feet
was not a simple
gesture of
affection or of
ritual purification
to be repeated in
ceremony;

8. it was to ordain his
apostles and in a
way all of us into a
life of loving
service to all of
humanity

9. and done in such a
way that it
becomes
contagious.

10. The words of the
Liturgy: “do this
in memory of
me” are not
simply inviting us
to ritual
celebration
either.

11. “This is
my body…
given up
for you…
DO this in
Memory
of me.”

12. The command is to give our lives
in love as we have received.

14. “This is the
chalice of my
blood…
poured out for
you and for
many for the
FORGIVENESS
of sins…
DO this in
memory of
me.”

15. The command is to forgive as we have
been forgiven.

16. The Liturgy sends us forth to live what we
have celebrated.

17. The procession
with the Blessed
Sacrament
reminds us that
the Lord walks
with us and
wants us to walk
into the world
with him.

18. The altar of repose
and adoration
invite us into ever
deeper union
with him so that
we may follow
him through
death

19. to new life not only in
ceremony, but in reality.

20. We hope you enjoyed this reflection.
If you would like to read other reflections by
Fr. Joseph Jablonski, please visit the Sunday
Reflection page on our website, where you
can also sign up to receive Fr. Joseph’s weekly
Sunday reflection by email.
The Missionaries of the Sacred Heart  USA Province
305 S. Lake Street, PO Box 270  Aurora, IL 60507 (630) 892-2371  info@misacor-usa.org

21. Photo Credits
• Slide 1: Photo © Ron Hohenhaus via www.istockphoto.com
• Slide 2: Photo by Jiri Hoda via PublicDomainPictures.net
• Slide 3: Photo © MShep2 via PublicDomainPictures.net
• Slide 4: Photo from www.cruzblanca.org/hermanoleon
• Slide 5: Photos from www.cruzblanca.org/hermanoleon
• Slide 6: Photo © Dennis Hoyne via www.istockphoto.com
• Slide 7: Photo from www.cruzblanca.org/hermanoleon
• Slide 8: Photo © Dean Mitchell, via www.istockphoto.com
• Slide 9: Photo © clearstockconcepts, via www.istockphoto.com
• Slide 10: Photo by Daniel Wagner, nephew of Br. Joseph Tesar, MSC
(taken in Papua New Guinea)
• Slides 11-12: Photos from www.cruzblanca.org/hermanoleon
Photos are for illustration only.

22. Photo Credits
• Slide 13: Upper left photo (see slide 8). Other photos are of
members of the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart (All Rights
Reserved):
– Upper right: Fr. Richard Kennedy, MSC teaching English to Grade 12 students
in Papua New Guinea
– Lower left: Frank Natale, MSC and Br. Jim Miller, MSC, help organize books to
be donated
– Lower right: Fr. Joseph Jablonski, MSC distributes emergency food supplies to
families in Colombia affected by the heavy flooding (January 2012)
• Slide 14: Photo from www.cruzblanca.org/hermanoleon
• Slide 15: Photo © Lisa Thornberg via www.istockphoto.com
• Slide 16: Fr. John Fahnestock, MSC stands with the brand new
mobile doctor’s office that he helped build. (All Rights Reserved)
Photos are for illustration only.

23. Photo Credits
• Slide 17: Photo from www.cruzblanca.org/hermanoleon
• Slide 18: Photo from www.cruzblanca.org/hermanoleon
• Slide 19: Photo © Joshua Hodge Photography via
www.istockphoto.com
• Slides 21-23: Background by Petr Kratochvil, via
www.PublicDomainPictures.net
Please note that any photos depicting people are of
models, with the exception of three photos on slides 3
and the photo on slide 16, which depict members of
the Missionaries of the Sacred Heart USA Province.