HOLY THURSDAY

John 13, 1-15

I always wonder if this conversation between Jesus and Peter really just about washing feet? Because you see, I not so sure. I think what happened on this first Holy Thursday was about relationship, about intimacy, about bringing his disciples close. Peter wanted to make it only about washing, at least at first. Then, slow to catch on, as usual, he got it, he understands. His feet were not dirty. It was not about washing. It was about the two of them—Peter and Jesus: their love, their relationship. The whole action was not about dirty feet. It was an invitation to intimacy.



This night, the towel and the basin were not carried by the usual servant providing this typical sign of hospitality: a servant who probably never would have looked at them, never would have taken time to see who it was. Tonight it was the host who washes the feet of the guests. Something different is going on here.



In asking them to expose their feet to him, Jesus asks the disciples to be vulnerable, like intimate, close friends. Jesus asks them to let him kneel before them, and touch them, perhaps in a way they have never been touched before. The disciples are being invited into intimacy with the One who loved them so much he would soon lay down his life for them.

But you see, it is not only those apostles who are invited into this intimacy. “You also are to wash each another’s feet.” He would have us look at each other, notice each other, touch each other deeply, emotionally, spiritually, be united with each other perhaps in a way never known before. This is something new, and perhaps slightly uncomfortable. Like Peter, we might at first object because we are afraid and sometimes want to keep our secrets, hide our shame, and avoid the needs of another.



But, the invitation is before you. We are asked to become a people who love and care for each other. We are asked to become vulnerable to each other; to be willing to wash each other’s feet, to risk pride, position, power, everything, to be able to serve one another. 

Jesus took a towel and a basin. He calls us to do the same. He also calls us to take bread and bless it and break it and eat it together. He calls us to take the cup of wine, give thanks for it and drink it. Yet, we all know it is not only about bread and wine, just as the washing of the feet was not only about washing up. It is about remembering that he died for us, so that we might live for him. It is about sharing in his life, as he shares in our life, all of it, even the worst of it.


To kneel before another and wash that person's feet can be difficult. But letting someone wash your own feet may be even more difficult. Our confusion as church is revealed in this ritual. Once, Christians stood in prayer before God as brothers and sisters of Christ, and knelt before others in loving ministry. Then a kind of misunderstanding crept in. We began kneeling before God as though we were only evil sinners, and to stand before the world, “the poor,” dispensing “charity.”

Tonight, on Holy Thursday, we relearn our proper positions. Again we kneel before others, and suffer to have others kneel before us. We see once again that recognizing ourselves as members of the Body of Christ is knowing that Jesus has made us worthy to stand before God.

Maybe you are like Peter, unwilling to have Jesus wash our feet, unwilling to approach the Eucharistic meal because of a sense of unworthiness. Maybe like Peter, you will try to deny, to run, to hide, to argue.

But tonight the wonder of God is revealed. We allow Jesus to wash our feet, we allow Jesus to feed us, we in turn, must wash and feed others.

Tonight we remember the covenant of friendship and love. Tonight we remember the covenant, and commitment, of service.