Holy Thursday

...that the Lord Jesus, the same night in which he was betrayed, took bread,
And giving thanks, broke and said: Take ye and eat: This is my body, which shall be delivered for you. This do for the commemoration of me. In like manner also the chalice, after he had supped, saying: This chalice is the new testament in my blood. This do ye, as often as you shall drink, for the commemoration of me.
For as often as you shall eat this bread and drink the chalice, you shall shew the death of the Lord, until he come.
Therefore, whosoever shall eat this bread, or drink the chalice of the Lord unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and of the blood of the Lord.
But let a man prove himself: and so let him eat of that bread and drink of the chalice.
For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily eateth and drinketh judgment to himself, not discerning the body of the Lord.
Therefore are there many infirm and weak among you: and many sleep. Corinthians 11

He riseth from supper and layeth aside his garments and, having taken a towel, girded himself.
After that, he putteth water into a basin and began to wash the feet of the disciples and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded.
He cometh therefore to Simon Peter. And Peter saith to him: Lord, dost thou wash my feet?
Jesus answered and said to him: What I do, thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter.
Peter saith to him: Thou shalt never wash my feet, Jesus answered him: If I wash thee not, thou shalt have no part with me.
Simon Peter saith to him: Lord, not only my feet, but also my hands and my head.
Jesus saith to him: He that is washed needeth not but to wash his feet, but is clean wholly. And you are clean, but not all.
For he knew who he was that would betray him; therefore he said: You are not all clean.
Then after he had washed their feet and taken his garments, being set down again, he said to them: Know you what I have done to you?
You call me Master and Lord. And you say well: for so I am.
If then I being your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; you also ought to wash one another's feet.
For I have given you an example, that as I have done to you, so you do also. John 13

The washing of feet was a ritiualistic cleansing for the priesthood.
The priesthood is such a sacred and beautiful vocation, I marvel at how lightly the vocation is taken and how abominably priests are treated.  A priest is not who he appears on the outside but who he is by the consecration of his hands to bring God down on the Altar, to forgive sins, to bring healing to hearts, minds and souls.....  As you watch your priest at the Altar of Sacrifice, remember who he is at that moment.  He is in persona Christi... in the person of Christ.  Value the prize of the Sacred Priesthood... it was bought for a great price.  For you.  For me.  What greater love could Love have for us?  We, who give God little to nothing, comes down and says He still loves us and is willing to have His flesh torn for our impurities and his head pieced with thorns for our disgraceful thoughts to re-open the gates of Heaven and then further He says He will leave us with a lasting gift, the gift of the Sacred Priesthood and the gift of the Blessed Sacrament that we may receive Him.... imbibe Him, be one with Him.

Think about it, meditate upon it, contemplate it.... then make it your own....live it with great joy.