"Do this in remembrance of Me." - 1 Corinthians 11:24-25 from the Readings for the Evening Mass of the Lord's Supper
At first glance at the readings for today, I thought: what a curious coincidence - Holy Thursday on April Fools' Day? But, then a popular church folk song from the 1960s popped into my memory. "Lord of the Dance" is a hymn written by the English songwriter Sydney Carter in 1963*. The melody is from the American Shaker song "Simple Gifts". In verse form, it tells the story of Jesus, the One who "danced" at the creation of the world, on the Sabbath and on Good Friday when He "danced on the devil's back." I composed my own verse to cover Holy Thursday. (If you know the melody, hum along.)
"I danced on a Thursday, when evening came. We gathered for a supper and they knew my name. We broke the bread and we drank the wine; that first Eucharist, what a time divine. Dance then, wherever you may be, I am the Lord of the dance, said He ° And the dance went on."
It's like Paul tells us in the second reading for this evening's service: the dance goes on. Paul says: I received from the Lord what I handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus, on the night He was handed over, took bread and broke it; took also the cup, and blessed it saying: This is my body – my Blood. Do this in remembrance of m"e – proclaim the death of the Lord until He comes. What a weighty commandment: "Do this in remembrance of Me." Not for any other reason. Not because my mom used to drag me to church and I go in honor of her. Not because my dad showed me a good example attending services, or a Sunday School teacher told me I ought to or that's where I can see my friends." No, Jesus says to us: "Do this in remembrance of ME." Why? Because "We proclaim Your death, O Lord, until you come again."
As for April Fools' Day, the history is fuzzy. Most credit it to 1582 with the switch from the Julian calendar to the Gregorian calendar that had been approved, 20 years prior, by the Council of Trent. This had the new year's start moving from April to January. Critics and naysayers "foolishly" continued to celebrate on April 1.
Have you ever been "stuck in the mud," refusing to recognize changes in the church, family situations or disregarding a new boss at work?
Pray today for a change beginning with self. Remember Jesus' words: Do it for ME.
Reflection by:
Sr. Roberta Bailey, OSB
Did You Know...
Sister Roberta Bailey, OSB, is currently the prioress (president) of the Benedictine Sisters of Florida in Saint Leo. Sister serves on the diocesan Commission for Religious. She is the former principal of St. Anthony Catholic School in San Antonio, Florida, and Saint John Paul II Catholic School in Lecanto, Florida. Sister Roberta is celebrating her 61st year in religious life.
