On Holy Thursday, April 17, Latin bishops and priests in Jordan gathered at Our Lady of Nazareth Church in Sweifieh, Amman, with Latin Patriarchal Vicar in Jordan Bishop Iyad Twal to celebrate the sacraments of Divine Love, the Eucharist, and the Sacrament of Priesthood, during which  they renewed their priestly vows.

In his homily, Bishop Twal said: "On Holy Thursday, we celebrate the institution of the Eucharist and the Sacrament of Priesthood. It is a special day for us, as we remember and relive the moment of the love that Lord Jesus Christ shared with us in his priesthood, while giving us the mission of celebrating the memory of his body and blood. This year, I thank Lord Jesus Christ for the blessing of priesthood and episcopate, and I thank Him for this blessing that overwhelms every one of you. We jointly praise His holy name for the greatness of this sacrament in our Church and our country, from where it has spread to all parts of the world.

He continued: "Let us jointly reflect on this holy day, namely on the profound meaning of this sacrament. Lord Jesus Christ, the High Priest, chose us--while knowing our weaknesses--to be partners with Him in His priesthood and be His servants. By the grace of the Holy Spirit, we offer His Body and Blood to become witnesses and preachers of His Gospel in our beloved diocese, the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem." 

Stressing that Maundy Thursday invites us to reflect on the great love of Lord Jesus Christ, which made Him offer himself as a sacrifice of salvation for us, he added, "This is a Jubilee year, a year of repentance and renewal, a year of hope and joy. It is a personal and collective journey, a call to set out with determination and steadfastness towards the future, a future in which we will have life and abundance. We, in our capacity as a family of the Latin Patriarchate, are called upon to continue serving the faithful and all people, especially the needy with enthusiasm and joy."

He continued: "Let us stand together with all our strength and determination, united, respecting and loving one another, and renewing ourselves together with grateful hearts, remembering the promises we made on the day of our ordination, and the time when we received the anointing of the Holy Spirit. Then, the number of days and years turns into spiritual, human, pastoral, and ecclesial maturity as we come to know what length, breadth, depth, and height are, discover the love of Christ that surpasses all knowledge, and be filled with all the perfection of God."

Bishop Twal concluded his homily by saying, "May our Mother, the Virgin Mary, accompany us on our priestly journey. She is the One who can help us savor the greatness of this gift, teach us how to celebrate the holy Sacraments with faith and fervor, and grow in union with Her Son. Let us plead together, my brothers and sisters, with the God Almighty that the grace of our ordination may never depart from us, and that we may find comfort, strength, and joy every day through our faithful service. May you be blessed and prosperous every year in your priesthood."

During the Holy Mass, the bishops, priests, and deacons renewed their priestly vows in the presence of a number of nuns and people.