Get Close, Make Space And Serve With Love

[Note: Today’s guest blogger is…not one blogger but many! Lauren Urzetta recently was on retreat with our teens and reflected with them on the meaning of Holy Thursday. We’re grateful to Lauren and our young people for providing us with today’s reflection!]

Holy Thursday Through the Eyes of Our Youth

On Holy Thursday, we remember a quiet moment with world-changing meaning—Jesus, kneeling to wash his disciples’ feet. This isn’t just a story of service. It’s a story of love, humility, and a new way of understanding power. And thanks to our Spiritus youth group, we’re seeing it with fresh eyes.

During our Spring Retreat, our teens were asked to reflect on what this night means to them. Here’s what they shared:

“Jesus gives us his last day.” They noticed that Jesus doesn’t spend his final hours trying to save himself or gather comfort. Instead, he spends them loving and serving others. He offers his full presence his words, his hands, his heart.
“Jesus washes people’s feet regardless of their condition. That’s unconditional love.” Jesus doesn’t make anyone earn it. He doesn’t ask who deserves it. He just kneels and washes, even knowing that one will betray him and another will deny him. That’s what real love looks like.

“Jesus is teaching us not to put ourselves above others.” “He’s showing us what true humility looks like.” In a world where status and appearance often matter more than kindness, Jesus turns this upside down. He gets on the ground, does the job of a servant, and shows that real leadership is rooted in humility.

“Jesus is enlightened—he says, ‘You don’t understand now, but later you will.’” They connected with this, too—knowing that sometimes we don’t get the full picture right away. But Jesus trusts that in time, we will. He’s planting seeds of transformation.

“Jesus flips the script when it comes to power.” “He doesn’t take advantage of the power he was given.” Our teens saw clearly that Jesus is redefining power, not as control or dominance, but as love in action. He doesn’t exploit the power he has. He uses it to lift others up. And they reminded us that Jesus isn’t the only one who’s done this.

They pointed to people like John Lewis, who said, “Never, ever be afraid to make some noise and get in good trouble,” and walked across a bridge for justice.

Susan B. Anthony, who fought for the right to vote, even when the law and society said women didn’t count.

Harriet Tubman, who risked everything to lead others to freedom, quietly, courageously, and without recognition.

Rosa Parks, who sparked a movement by refusing to give up her seat—an act that seemed small, but changed history.

And Irena Sendler, who smuggled hundreds of Jewish children out of the Warsaw Ghetto during World War II, because she couldn’t bear to look away.

And Greta Thunberg, a teenager who sat alone with a sign and sparked a global movement. She’s not loud or seeking power—she simply speaks truth and keeps showing up, reminding world leaders that care for creation is a moral call we cannot ignore.

All of them, like Jesus, walked the talk. All of them used their lives,quietly or boldly to serve, uplift, and love. All of them flipped the script.

This is what Holy Thursday calls us into, not just remembering what Jesus did, but choosing to live like he did.

And what’s even more powerful is that our teens are feeling this call themselves.

At the same retreat , they didn’t just talk about service or humility—they lived it. As part of their weekend, they took part in a service project where they created “Out of the Blue” treat boxes—each one filled with blue-wrapped goodies and handwritten notes of encouragement for transgender youth who might be feeling isolated, unseen, or discouraged.

The idea behind the project was simple: to remind someone, out of the blue, that they are loved, valued, and seen. The project was led by one of our youth leaders, Dr. Karina Vatanna, who works closely with trans youth and saw a need to give them a lift. What began as a small act of kindness became something sacred, an offering of presence, compassion, and care.

In a world where many turn away, our teens leaned in.They did exactly what Jesus did that night: they got close, they made space, and they served with love that expects nothing in return.