His Holiness Pope Francis on Holy Thursday: Life is beautiful when we help each other

At the Mass of the Lord's Supper at Rome's Casal del Marmo juvenile penitentiary, His Holiness Pope Francis reminds us of how the Lord, in washing the feet of his disciples, teaches us the importance of humility and service that are born of a noble heart.

His Holiness Pope Francis during the washing of feet at the Mass of the Lord's Supper at Casal del Marmo

By Thaddeus Jones

On Holy Thursday His Holiness Pope Francis went to the outskirts of Rome to celebrate the Mass of the Lord's Supper at the Casal del Marmo juvenile penitentiary where he carried out the traditional rite of the washing of feet of twelve of the young people there. Diversity characterized the group, varying in ages from 14 to 25 years of age, ten young men and two young women, two of them of Sinti origin, the others from Croatia, Senegal, Romania, and Russia, representing various faith traditions.

The Pope previously visited the Casal del Marmo institution in 2013, right after he became pope, when he chose to celebrate the Holy Thursday liturgy "in Coena Domini" there.

A noble heart for all

A moment during the celebration in the Casal del Marmo chapel

In his homily given without a prepared text, His Holiness Pope Francis focused his thoughts on the Gospel of the liturgy that recounts when Jesus, a day before his Passion, washes the feet of his disciples in a gesture of humility and service, something that back in that time, would have been carried out by a slave. 

His Holiness Pope Francis explained how life would be so beautiful if we were to imitate this gesture and spirit in our daily lives, helping one another, rather than following worldly ways of cheating or taking advantage of each other. Helping each other, even through simple human gestures, springs from a noble heart, he observed, and Jesus today wishes to teach us and encourage us to have this "nobility of heart." 

We can be discouraged or ashamed of what we hold inside, the Pope observed, but Jesus knows all about us and "loves us just the way we are," washing the feet of all of us. The Pope said we should never be frightened by our weaknesses and be assured that the Lord wishes to accompany us on our journey, "to take us by the hand so that life is not so hard for us."

Washing of feet during the liturgy in the Casal del Marmo chapel

Called to help each other

In conclusion, the Holy Father explained that his gesture of washing the feet of the twelve young people present is not just a folkloristic gesture, but a sign of how we should be with one another - helping each other, showing each other love and respect for the immense dignity of all, even in our weaknesses as sinners. If we adopt this attitude and spirit of service, he said, we could alleviate so many of the injustices in our world. He went on to remind us that being unemployed, in broken families, struggling to survive,  succumbing to our weaknesses, is something that can happen to each one of us at any time…

This report was originally published on the Vatican News website. Please click here to read the full text.