BISHOP MTUMBUKA PRESIDES OVER HOLY THURSDAY MASS
By Noel Chatepa
Bishop Martin Anwel Mtumbuka of the Diocese of Karonga has urged Christians to go out and cleanse the hearts of others taking after Jesus’ gesture of washing the feet of his disciples.
The Bishop said this is his homily at St Martin De Porres Parish (Ngerenge) on 17 April, 2025, where he presided over Holy Thursday Liturgy, where a large number of faithful gathered to commemorate the institution of the Sacrament of Eucharist and Holy Orders (Priesthood).
Holy Thursday Mass is a significant event in the Christian liturgical calendar as it marks the beginning of Easter Triduum (Three Days of Easter), where Christians commemorate the salvation mysteries of the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
In his homily, the Bishop emphasized that Christians were saved at the high price and highlighted how Holy Thursday liturgy reveals the suffering of Jesus Christ.
He further explained that Jesus washing the feet of his disciples was not merely an act of bodily cleanliness but symbolized a deeper cleansing of the heart.
“When Jesus cleansed their feet,” he noted, “it served as encouragement for them to go out into the world to help others clean their hearts.”
The Bishop further said that the celebration of the Lord’s Supper was very significant in the life of the Church.
“This day commemorates the institution of priesthood and the Sacrament of Holy Eucharist, the spiritual food that nourishes us in this journey of life.”
During the liturgy, the Bishop washed the feet of several men in memory of Jesus Christ’s act of washing the feet of the disciples.
