MAUNDY THURSDAY

John 13:1–17; 31b–35

Before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world and go to God. Having loved his own who were in the world, Jesus loved them to the end. The devil had al-ready put it into the heart of Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, to betray him. And during supper Jesus, knowing that God had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God, got up from the table, took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was tied around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, ―Lord, are you going to wash my feet?‖ Jesus answered, ―You do not know now what I am doing, but later you will understand.‖ Peter said to him, ―You will never wash my feet.‖ Jesus answered, ―Unless I wash you, you have no share with me.‖ Simon Peter said to him, ―Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!‖ Jesus said to him, ―One who has bathed does not need to wash; except for the feet, but is entirely clean. And you are clean, though not all of you.‖ For Jesus knew who was to betray him; for this reason he said, ―Not all of you are clean.‖ After Jesus had washed their feet, had put on his robe, and had returned to the table, he said to them, ―Do you know what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord—and you are right, for that is what I am. So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you. Very truly, I tell you, servants are not greater than their master, nor are messengers greater than the one who sent them. If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.‖ Now is the Chosen One glorified and God is glorified as well. If God has been glorified, God will in turn glorify the Chosen One and will do so very soon. My little children, I will not be with you much longer. You will look for me, but what I said to the Temple authorities, I say to you: Where I am going, you cannot come. I give you a new commandment: Love one another. And you are to love one another the way I have loved you. This is how all will know that you are my disciples: that you truly love one another.‖

Reflection -- Carissa Baldwin

Drawing water for feet in Genesis was a way of welcoming what God was up to in the midst of the faithful - creative things, daring things, things not for the faint of heart. The first hospitality of foot washing in the Bible finds Abraham and Lot offering refreshment to God’s angels and messengers as they brought promise of proliferation and protection (Gen 18:4, 19:20). To re-ceive anyone in this way in the ancient Middle East was to convey a complete welcome and submission. ―So long as you are my guest, I shall provide for your need before my own.‖

Host as servant is a custom alive and well in many parts of the world today. A Pakistani will sleep on the floor in order for a friend or stranger to have a bed overnight. In contrast, the bur-dens of hospitality in recent American culture, are light. ―The bathroom’s down the hall,‖ or ―Can I get you something to drink?‖ will suffice. We are not expected to sympathize with the vulnerability of waiting, feeling hungry, or being disoriented.

Strangely, suffering and sympathy make us better hosts. And so these hard economic, social and emotional times, though unpleasant and unwelcome, have the potential to make us more generous people. In scarcity we either find solace in hate, or we choose to love more deeply from the chasm of our own deep loss and need. As people of faith, we choose love, openness and the courage they require.

Imagine the already anxious students of Jesus so close to the death of their friend. How much more nervous would they have felt when the one who gives them assurance starts acting weird - inverting social expectation by getting down on his knees. Teachers don’t wash students. Wise sages don’t act base and earthly. God’s promise of justice, wisdom and healing are most often told through inversion - sight to the blind, freedom to the captive, teacher as servant.

The disciples resisted the vulnerability of receiving God’s promise and teaching much like we get squeamish over washing one another’s feet. And yet this grand, uncomfortable gesture in-vites us to pry open our life chests to the deliberate and mysterious ways of God.

1. Look back on your life in these days of Lent. What might God be showing you? What might God be up to?

2. Invite a friend, loved one, colleague or acquaintance for dinner and devote your every moment of preparation and hospitality to concern for their hopes, needs, tastes, loves, feelings, moods, experience and desires.