Holy Thursday. Mass of the Lord's Supper

Holy Thursday On Holy Thursday, the most important days of the liturgical year begin in the Catholic Church - the Holy Easter Triduum. The faithful remember the Lord's Supper - the Last Supper of the Old Testament and the First Supper of the New Testament. Holy Thursday is also the day of the institution of two sacraments - the Eucharist and the priesthood. During today's "Glory to God in the highest" the bells and organs rang in the temple for the last time. We will hear their sound only on Holy Saturday, when the priest will announce to the world the triumph of Jesus Christ over death. Today, the solemn celebration in the Lichen basilica was presided over by Fr. Bogusław Binda, MIC, superior of the Lichen Marian community. The Mass of the Lord's Supper was also concelebrated by, among others, Fr. Janusz Kumala, MIC, custodian of the sanctuary, Fr. Adam Stankiewicz, MIC, deputy custodian and Fr. Rafał Krauze, MIC, pastor of the parish of Dorothy in Licheń Stary. - “Today we have a great catechesis of humility, when the Lord Jesus washes the feet of his disciples. God became man in order to bring man back to Himself. But is man aware of it? Does he see these efforts of God himself, who humbled himself so much out of love for him? And does man understand and accept this lesson of humility? " - said Fr. Binda, noting that all of us, following the example of Jesus, should wash each other's feet. The priest emphasized that "in today's world there is a hunger for this attitude towards one's neighbor." Fr. Binda also asked if we are able to accept this "catechesis of humility"? Are we all, as believers, open to the attitude of Jesus to do it in our daily life? The answer to these questions is Jesus himself, who enables us to do this. Later on, the Marian recalled that today, Holy Thursday, we are commemorating the institution of the Eucharist and priesthood. - “On Holy Thursday, Christ involves us in a bloodless way into what bloody happened on Good Friday, when He sacrificed His body. Nor will we ever understand or comprehend the mystery of the priesthood. Through this sacrament, God performs the greatest miracle during every holy mass. And this is done in every church whenever the priest says the words of consecration. But it is not the priest who performs this miracle with his power. No man has that power. It is done by God himself "- said Fr. Binda, noting that the sacrament of the Eucharist is the summit, source and meaning of the life of the whole Church. The priest also noted and lamented the fact that the faithful often receive Holy Communion thoughtlessly, without thinking that it is the living Christ who wishes to be united with us. In His mercy, God gave man the opportunity to purify himself through the sacrament of reconciliation, so that everyone could enter the Eucharistic banquet. "And this should be remembered so that we do not disregard this sacrament - God's love for man" - he added. - “Satan does not like these sacraments, therefore he fights and attacks the priesthood, trying to spit, insult and disgrace them, also through the falls of priests. Therefore, let us pray for priests that those to whom Christ has entrusted the celebration of the greatest miracle - the Eucharist, will never run out, ”concluded the deliberation. After the Holy Mass, the Blessed Sacrament, that is God's Holy Thursday gift to man, was placed in the tabernacle. Tomorrow is Good Friday. On this day, Christians around the world will remember the martyrdom of Jesus Christ on Golgotha. In the Licheń basilica, the solemn Liturgy of the Passion will begin at 18.00. In turn, on Holy Saturday, the Liturgy of the Easter Vigil will begin at 20. According to tradition, on this day the faithful pray at the tomb of Jesus. This year, in the Licheń sanctuary, the guard at the Lord's tomb was to be performed by American soldiers stationed at the 33rd Air Transport Base in Powidz. However, their visit to Licheń on Holy Saturday was canceled due to the decree of Wiesław Alojzy Mering, Bishop of Włocławek, of March 26, in which the hierarch forbade guarding the Lord's graves in the diocese of Włocławek. Marian priests remind that, in accordance with the sanitary restrictions in force, 350 people can stay in the Lichen basilica at the same time. At the same time, the guardians of the Licheń sanctuary encourage to join the celebration of the Easter Triduum through the sanctuary social media. Lichen Stary, April 1, 2021