BY DALIUS LL, SOCCOM SANDAKAN
Sandakan: This
year, Holy Thursday was celebrated at St. Mary's Cathedral on 28th March 2013 with a
congregation of more than 1,500 people. The Holy Mass started at 7.30 pm with the Bishop of the Sandakan Diocese, His Lordship Bishop Julius Dusin Gitom as the main celebrant.
Holy Thursday is a profound religious observance for Catholic faith as it
celebrates the institution by Christ himself of the Eucharist
and of the institution of the sacerdotal priesthood. The celebration is
divided into four parts; the Liturgy of the Word, the washing of feet, the
liturgy of the Eucharist, and the transfer of the Holy Eucharist.
The prelate in his
homily reminded the congregation that, ‘The command of Jesus which was handed
down by the Apostles to us, is not just a memorial or remembrance of the past
but that Jesus is really present in every Eucharistic celebration to share His
divine life to all of us.’ He added that the Eucharistic Mass is a communion and
participation of God’s people with the Lord. We share God’s love without
distinction, without discrimination, without looking at one’s skin colour and
rejecting all kinds of evil in ourselves that are destructive to our communion
with Him.
Bishop Julius
also stressed on the importance of Jesus' humility of service shown by washing
His disciples feet and that should be emulated by all and not to be
indifferent to others. He reminded that as
followers of Christ one should love others freely, with heartfelt compassion,
kindness and goodness and it ought to be manifested through the act of service
in humility. Bishop Julius concluded his
homily by calling upon all the faithful to continue to pray for their priests so that they may draw strength to offer their humble service to the Lord.
After Holy Communion, the Blessed Sacrament is transferred from the
altar to the tabernacle of repose in solemn procession with the congregation
singing ‘O Sacrament Most Holy’ and ‘Down in Adoration.’
At the conclusion of the Mass, the faithful and
the various groups in the Church continued adoration of the
Blessed Sacrament throughout the night, just as the disciples stayed up with the Lord during His agony in the garden.
Photos by Donny Lee and Terrence Ngui
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