Maundy Thursday: Christ's Ministry, Our Ministry

Exodus 12:1-14

Psalm 116:1, 10-17

1 Corinthians 11:23-26

John 13:1-17, 31b-35

This past Tuesday the clergy of the diocese gathered here with Bishop Talton to celebrate the Chrism Eucharist.  This is an ancient practice of the Church in which the bishop blesses the oils to be used in the administration of the sacraments during the coming year.  These oils will be used to anoint the sick, mark catechumens, seal the newly baptized as Christ’s own, confirm the Holy Spirit upon God’s people, anoint the hands of those ordained to the priesthood.  Because this is one of the few times that the clergy gather all together with their bishop, the more recent custom has arisen in which the clergy of the diocese renew their ordination vows, and sometimes – as we did on Tuesday – the laity re-commit themselves to their baptismal calling.  While the distances in our diocese make it highly impractical, whenever possible the Chrism Eucharist has been celebrated during the day on Maundy Thursday.  Such a celebration seems only appropriate to Maundy Thursday, in which is revealed to us Jesus as bishop who calls his friends to unity in love, as priest who institutes the sacrifice and sacrament of the new covenant, and as deacon who as sign of his servanthood washes the feet of his disciples.  In its scripture readings and imagery Maundy Thursday reflects the heart of Christian ministry – service, sacrifice and unity.

When we speak about Christian ministry it is important to bear in mind that the Christian has no ministry save that of Christ, indeed that there is no ministry in the Church except for that of Christ.  As Christians, if we are engaged in service, it is Christ’s servanthood, we are manifesting in the world; if we are engaged in works of justice, compassion and reconciliation, it is Christ’s priestly work of intercession we are manifesting; when we work for unity in love, it is Christ’s unity with the Father and the Holy Spirit which we are seeking to share and make known.  There is only one who is anointed, only one who is deacon, only one who is priest, only one who is bishop – Christ.  As Christians in all our various ministries and orders, we are sharing in and trying to make explicit Christ’s own.  Tonight we recall that he gives to us the commandment – that is where the “maundy” in Maundy Thursday comes from – he gives us the commandment to share in his ministry.  In the words of institution he commands us to celebrate and present for all ages the sacrifice of the New Covenant: “This is my body that is for you.  Do this in remembrance of me….This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” (1 Corinthians 11:24b, 25b)  In washing his disciples’ feet he commands us to serve one another and the entire world: “So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet.” (John 13:14)  Finally he commands us to unity in love:  “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another.  Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.” (John 11:34)

It is unhappily all too often presented and understood by many Christians that ministry is only for the ordained, but what is becoming clearer and increasingly accepted in the Church is a more primitive understanding of ministry generally in which all baptized Christians – all those who have been anointed and marked as Christ’s own – share directly in Christ’s ministry.  Every Christian is called to share in Christ’s ministry of reconciliation by acts of justice and compassion, and by living lives in accordance with the principles of love, peace and forgiveness.  Every Christian is called to share in Christ’s ministry of service by enabling the disadvantaged, speaking out for the voiceless, championing the cause of the marginalized and dispossessed; but also by walking humbly in the midst of their sisters and brothers.  Every Christian is called to express the unity to which Christ calls us, most especially through his command to love.  We do this in any number of ways whenever we build bridges for sake of community, whenever we step out of ourselves to see things from the perspective of the other. 

In a very real sense the ministry of the laity is more difficult than that of the ordained, because ironically enough the role of the ordained is chiefly to exercise Christ’s ministry among other Christians; serving as a focus for authority certainly, but more imprtantly serving as those who enable and encourage the People of God to exercise Christ’s ministry in the world.  The bishop should model Christ’s pastoral care and love of unity to God’s people, in order that they can care for and love those among whom they live and work, and do so harmoniously.  Priests should teach and preach in such a way that the people of God are strengthened on their spiritual journey and given knowledge and instruction so as St Peter writes in his first epistle, they may make defense of the hope that is in us all and do so with gentleness and reverence. (cf. 1 Peter 3:15-16)  Moreover, priests should lead the people in prayer and the celebration of the sacraments, so that God’s people may be truly nourished and strengthened to discern and reveal the sacred in the world around them.  The deacon should guide her fellow Christians in service, discerning ways in which the whole Church can better serve the needs of the world, and of the most vulnerable in society.

Christ’s entrusts the ministry of his Church not only to the ordained – bishops, priests, deacons – but to the whole people who are called by his name. On Tuesday at the Chrism Eucharist the Bishop Talton spoke to all the people gathered: “Through water and the Holy Spirit”, he reminded us “God the Father has formed throughout the world a holy people for his possession, a royal priesthood, a universal Church to make known the truth of his reconciling love.  Every baptized Christian is called to share this ministry entrusted to the Church…. Will each of you, in the strength of the Holy Spirit, continually stir up the gift of God that is in you by baptism, and in your lives will you strive to make Christ known to all?”  Tonight is a good time to re-commit ourselves to that ministry – which is Christ’s ministry – as he once again entrusts us with it through Word and Sacrament, so that in all that we say and do we may be worthy of his name and the world might know that we are his disciples.  Amen.