Homily on Great Thursday, Before the Communion of the Holy Mysteries
By Saint Innocent, Archbishop of Kherson and Tauride
By Saint Innocent, Archbishop of Kherson and Tauride
“My time is at hand; I will keep the Passover at your house with My disciples” (Matt. 26:18).
Thus it was commanded to say to the master of that house in which the Savior intended to perform His last Passover. Who this blessed householder was is not said, and those sent had to recognize him on the spot. For the betrayer was seeking in every way an opportunity to accomplish his design; therefore it was necessary to conceal the place of the Passover until the very time of its celebration. After it was accomplished, without doubt, all learned at whose house it was performed; however, even afterwards not one Evangelist told us the name of the blessed householder. The interpreters of Holy Scripture present various reasons for this concealment. But we also shall not err if we say that the name of this man is passed over in silence because he represents every true follower of Christ.
And especially, brethren, he cannot but represent you, who intend to approach the communion of the Holy Mysteries. You wish to partake of the Passover of the Lord, to receive the Body and Blood of your Savior; and your Savior and Lord wishes to keep the Passover with you, to communicate Himself “most closely” with your spirit and body, to unite Himself with each of you forever. Do not marvel at this and do not consider it some turn of phrase invented by me. The Apostle did not play with words, but spoke the truth, when he wrote that since “the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise partook of the same” (Heb. 2:14). The Savior and our Lord partook of the flesh and blood of all mankind, by taking upon Himself our nature. But He now wishes to communicate with the spirit, flesh, and blood of each of us; He wishes to make all of us His temple and dwelling, wishes to be the beginning of our life, to occupy our mind and heart. To this very mystical communion I dare to invite you on behalf of the Lord! The words will be mine (if, indeed, we who converse with you have anything of our own), but the thoughts will be taken from His conversations with the disciples. If you are His true disciples, or at least wish to be them, you will not consider them foreign and not belonging to you.
“My time is at hand” (Matt. 26:18), the Lord commands to say. That is, as if He were saying thus: My earthly ministry is coming to an end - “the work which the Father gave Me to do, I have finished” (John 17:4). I have proclaimed His name and love to My brethren; I have proclaimed blessedness to those who weep, to the meek, the merciful, the persecuted and suffering; I have not concealed the woe awaiting the malicious, the proud, the greedy, and the perjurers: now there remains only to bear witness to the truth of My teaching by the deed itself, to take up the cross, preached by Me to all, Myself, and to go with it to Golgotha, as an example to all. “My time is at hand”: the treacherous disciple has already betrayed Me, the pieces of silver are given and received; the prince of this world has risen from his throne for combat with Me (John 14:30); the band of soldiers is ready; it remains to go out to meet it, to receive the deceitful kiss and to give “My back… to the smiters and My cheeks to blows” (Isa. 50:6). “My time is at hand”: I see how My very Father has prepared the cup of wrath and sufferings; it comes and will not pass away; the bloody sweat will not replace the bloody baptism; I must give over not only the body — the very spirit into the hands of the Father. “My time is at hand!” But before I finish My course and go to the Father, I desire to share My feelings with you, My followers, I desire to mark the New Covenant, established by My Blood, by something, I desire to leave some abiding memorial of My love for you: “with desire I have desired… to eat this Passover with you before I suffer” (Luke 22:15).
But where shall I eat it? Jerusalem is filled with My enemies. In the halls of Annas and Caiaphas dwell hypocrisy, pride, and sacrilege. There they are ready to rend garments, but not to spread them on My way, but to strip Me Myself. I shall be there, but not for the Passover, but to receive blows and spitting. In the praetorium of Pilate there is more space: there, together with love for peace, there lives some love also for justice; but the name of a friend of Caesar there is more important than the name of a friend of truth and of God: it is not for Me to eat the Passover with the favorites of Tiberius! Let them alone wash their hands before the people; but I will wash the feet of My disciples. Better to be judged than to be a judge on such a pavement. When it is needed, I will appear there also — for the receiving of the crown of thorns.
Therefore, ‘My time is at hand’; and I have no place or refuge. ‘Foxes have holes, and the birds of the air have nests’; but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay His head (Matt. 8:20). Born in a manger, I shall die on a cross. What then shall I do? Abandon the Passover? But I came not "to destroy the law… but to fulfill it" (Matt. 5:17). And how abandon the Passover, which prefigures My death? What then shall I do? This will I do: "I will keep the Passover at your house with My disciples."
With you, O Christian, with you, who are called My disciple and have sworn to follow Me unto death. If you also will not give Me a refuge, where shall I find it? But you cannot but give it: you are reborn in the font of baptism by My Blood, anointed and sealed by My Spirit, nourished by My Body and Blood, hoping in My name for eternal life: will you not receive and give Me rest?
Therefore, where is the "large upper room" (Luke 22:12), that I may be able to be there with all My gifts? Where are the unleavened breads of "purity and truth?" (1 Cor. 5:8). Where is the bitter herb — self-denial and patience? Where is the paschal lamb — a "clean heart and a contrite spirit?" (Ps. 50:12). Bring forth all that you have, adorn My supper, let Me be comforted by what My grace has produced in you.
But instead of rejoicing “with joy at the voice of the bridegroom” (John 3:29), you are silent, like someone condemned. I see the reason: your inner self has nowhere to rest; the house of your soul is empty and in ruins. There is no lamp of faith, no oil of love; everything is filled with impurity—with passions and harmful thoughts. Woe to you: “the zeal of Your house has consumed Me” (John 2:17).
“But My time is near”; perhaps your time is not far off either. If I come again, I may no longer find you on earth. We must not waste time. So let us hurry. Let us not allow our common enemy, the devil, to win a victory over you. I have the power to set everything right: just agree to be Mine, open the doors of your heart, and let Me fill your whole inner being. As soon as I am in you, everything will immediately change. I will take the place of all preparation: I Myself will wash the feet, I Myself will be the light, I Myself the Lamb.
Do not be troubled; both of us will be filled with joy — you in Me, and I in you. Only give up your attachment to sin, leave your evil life behind forever, and decide to belong to Me completely.
From your very faces, brethren, I see that the voice of the Lord to you, though it proceeds from my unworthy lips, does not remain without effect upon you. After this I have nothing more to desire, except that this effect may continue in you and leave in you marks that do not pass away. And how should it not continue? You have heard the words; now you will see the deed. What have I given you? But the Lord will give you His Body and Blood. Will such a gift not move the one who receives it? Moreover, if we, His servants, converse with you in His name, will He Himself remain silent within you? He always speaks to us in our consciences; all the more will He not speak to our heart after the mystical union with us. Therefore let each attend to what the Lord now says to him. Will He speak peace? Receive it with thanksgiving, and keep it in a pure conscience. Will He pronounce reproof? Likewise give thanks, and hasten to correct what is reproved. Will He begin to drive out from the inner temple of yourself those who trade there?
Do not resist, do not defend, but rather join yourself to Him and act. The Lord Himself will teach you all things which it is fitting “to do” (Acts 9:6); only listen — and fulfill! Amen.
Source: Translated by John Sanidopoulos.
