I got to Holy Thursday Mass at my church, St. Charles Borromeo, about ten minutes late. Three dear friends and I had had dinner first and, well, you know how it goes. There was space for three near the front. I went back a couple of rows, and sat down next to an acquaintance.
As the readings began, I found myself looking around the crowded pews. There was the guy who didn’t respond when I had expressed interest in joining his ministry. There was the woman who didn’t value my expertise and so I left her ministry. There was the man who cut me off once years ago at a Parish Council meeting. There was the young woman who always has a holier-than-thou look on her face any time we talk. My list went on and on, maybe ten people.
After a while, I wanted to slap myself. My parish is wonderful. It’s friendly. It’s inviting. People of all races and genders and ages and political persuasions swarm there–and to our outward reaching ministries. As for those ten people, well, I doubt more than half of them have any idea they annoy me–and those who do know probably don’t care.
I found myself wondering how I got from loving everyone I encountered at St. Charles when I returned to the Catholic faith a little more than five years ago to spending time at Holy Thursday Mass detailing the reasons I dislike people. Maybe I need to spend more time here, I thought; maybe I need to refocus my life priorities.
Then our pastor began his homily. He talked about Jesus and Peter’s exchange in John’s Gospel regarding the washing of feet. He said something along these lines: “If you know where you’re coming from and you know where you’re going, the washing of feet isn’t simply an exercise in humility, though it is that. It’s more; it’s about service in the simplest form.”
I know myself well enough to know people aren’t going to stop annoying me overnight. But I also know where I’m coming from and where I’m going to… and they both are all about love. During the upcoming Easter season, I’ll be focusing less on judging and petty annoyances… and more on the simple service of love.
