Pope prays for priests who have died serving sick in pandemic

Source: Vatican News

Pope Francis presided over a shorter Mass of the Lord's Supper on Holy Thursday, in an empty St Peter's Basilica with just a few priests, religious and lay people in attendance. In previous years the Holy Father has gone to prisons to celebrate this Mass and washed the feet of inmates there. Because of the coronavirus, the liturgy tonight did not include the washing of feet. The Mass was watched online by many thousands around the world.

During his off-the cuff homily Pope Francis recalled three key words for Holy Thursday: Eucharist, Service and Anointment.

Pope Francis reminded Christians that only by allowing the Lord to love us will we be saved. Jesus Himself says: "If we don't eat His body and we don't drink His blood, we will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven," said the Pope.

"It is difficult to understand that we need to allow the Lord to serve us," continued Pope Francis. He then reflected on St John's Gospel which describes the exchange between Jesus and Peter who told the Lord: "You will never wash my feet." Jesus answered: "If I do not wash you, you can have nothing in common with me."

"You must ask the Lord to allow you to grow," the Pope said, "to forgive you."

Pope Francis then gave thanks for the priesthood. He said: "I want to be near to priests, all of them: from the newly ordained all the way up to the bishops and to the Pope."

"You have been anointed to confer the Eucharist, you have been anointed to serve," said.

Noting he had not been possible to celebrate the Chrism Mass on Holy Thursday morning, the Pope said he hopes it will be celebrated before Pentecost.

Referring to the liturgy of the Lord's Supper, he said: "I can't allow this Mass to pass by without mentioning the priesthood and all the priests who offer their lives for the Lord."

Pope Francis recalled that in these dramatic days marked by the coronavirus pandemic, many priests have died in Italy while caring for the sick, together with doctors and nurses in the hospitals.

"They are our 'next-door-neighbour' saints," who have given their lives to serve the Lord and the faithful, he said.

Pope Francis then spoke about the many parish priests and prison chaplains who take the Gospel into small towns and into prisons, and to the scores of anonymous priests in mission territories, many of whom die and are buried far from the eyes of the world.

"No one knows their names," the Pope said. "They are good priests and I carry them in my heart."

He also spoke of the many priests who have suffered slander and insults, "who cannot walk the streets" because of the shame brought about by the discovery of some of the awful things some priests have done.

"Today you are all with me at the altar," he said. "Don't be hard-headed like Peter. Allow the Lord to wash your feet, learn to forgive others. Just as you have forgiven, you will be forgiven. Never be afraid to forgive."

Pope Francis concluded his homily giving thanks to God for the grace of the priesthood: "I thank God for you, priests. Jesus loves you. I ask only that you allow your feet to be washed."

Watch a recording of the Mass here: www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2020-04/pope-mass-lords-supper-priests-holy-thursday.html