This evening we prepared water, basin, wine, bread, and towel and went to the church. We prayed for coming of the Spirit while we taped our Love Feast and Handwashing liturgy. After practicing, we entered into the family service in the center aisle of our Sanctuary, with thinking of and worshipping with you all.
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So, Jesus got up from the supper table, set aside his robe, and put on an apron. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the feet of the disciples, drying them with his apron… So, if I, the Master and Teacher, washed your feet, you must now wash each other’s feet. I’ve laid down a pattern for you. What I’ve done, you do.
”
(John 13:4-15, Message)
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When it was time, Jesus sat down, all the apostles with him, and said, “You’ve no idea how much I have looked forward to eating this Passover meal with you before I enter my time of suffering. It’s the last one I’ll eat until we all eat it together in the kingdom of God… This is my body, given for you. Eat it in my memory. This cup is the new covenant written in my blood, blood poured out for you
.”
(Luke 22:14-22, Message)
Jesus is taking disciples with him for three years and deepening relationship with them. Now they will take a share in Jesus and in each other. Washing their feet and sharing wine and bread each other, Jesus gave them the last lesson how to love. The love Jesus commands (Maundy,
mandautum
in Latin) goes beyond our feelings, attraction, or attachment to another. To love always risky business: showing our dirty feet and sharing our vulnerability deeply and intimately. Jesus washed their feet. Now it is our turn to wash one another’s feet.
Jesus urges us to become lovers and a deep communicators, not just our feeling and lip-service but concrete and tangible act like washing feet and feeding the hungry through our self-giving and sacrificing towards another. It is too scary and always risky for us to develop our relationship with the Lord. It will be scarier and definitely far riskier for all of us not to love. For not loving means refusing the love of God, so cursing ourselves. I hope and pray that Jonathan and Tara know this evening the deep meaning of handwashing and the mystery of the Love Feast this evening. O Lord, mercy on us!
Reflection:
“Love is not a feeling in your chest; it is bending down to wash another’s feet.”
(Andrew Peterson)
“To wash your feet, this is a symbol, a sign that I am at your service. But it also means that we have to help each other. This sign is a caress from Jesus, because Jesus came exactly for this, to serve and to help us.”
(Pope Francis)
