Today is Maundy Thursday of Holy week.

Take a moment and quiet yourself. Take a deep breath. Welcome God’s presence. And say, “Come Holy Spirit.” 

Assist me mercifully with your help, O Lord God of our salvation, that I may enter with joy upon the contemplation of those mighty acts, whereby you have given us life and immortality; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Today’s reading is from the Gospel of John, chapter 13.
 

It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. 
The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. 
He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” 
Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” 
“No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.” 
Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.” 
“Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!” 
Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean. 
When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.


Today we are here at the Passover meal, the Last Supper. Imagine you are the disciple Peter in this moment, when, in the middle of the meal, Jesus stands up and does something completely unexpected. Without a word, he wraps a towel around his waist, fills a basin with water and kneels down at John's feet and starts washing them. I look at John and then to the others, and everyone has the same look on their faces? Eyes wide with shock. Hands open with a shrug that begs the question, What in the world is he doing? And as I sit quietly and watch him wash the feet of my brothers, over and over again, I feel the anger rising in me. Anger at them, anger at him.

I don't think you understand how wrong this is. Jesus is the Master, the Teacher, the Rabbi. My whole life I've heard the Mishnah, the teaching of the Rabbis, commanding me to be covered in the 'dust of the feet of my master.' I've followed behind him everywhere, covered in his dust. And now he is washing the dust off of me? I am supposed to sit at his feet, and here he sits at mine? By the time he gets to me, I erupt! You're going to wash my feet? Not a chance!

He calmly and knowingly looks at me. He's seen this kind of thing from me before. With a smile Jesus says quietly to me: Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.

Well, wash all of me then, master! And right there, as he knees, I break. He touches my feet and I can't hold back my tears. Through bleary vision I finally see so clearly. On this Maundy Thursday, this mandate Thursday, I finally understand the mandate he’s given me... to serve others like he serves me. This is what it means to love one another.

Almighty God, who through your only-begotten Son Jesus Christ overcame death and opened to us the gate of everlasting life: Grant that I, who celebrate with joy the day of the Lord’s resurrection, may be raised from the death of sin by your life-giving Spirit; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

Music: You Give Us Peace - Heaven and Earth - (YouTube)