Scripture: John 13:10 – “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.’” (NRSV)
In our Congregationalist tradition, we commemorate Maundy Thursday by ritually reenacting the Last Supper and the scattering of the disciples. This echoes Holy Thursday as depicted in the synoptic gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke. But in the Roman Catholic Church, Maundy Thursday is a service of foot washing, as depicted in the Gospel according to John. To be honest, I think this weirds out many Protestants. It is not a question of recognizing the service of others, but rather an aversion to the physical sensation of having someone else touch your feet. At least it is that way with me.
Jesus’ greater message in washing the feet of the disciples is that no one is above menial service, not even the one the disciples call Lord and Teacher, not even the physical incarnation of God. You are never too good for something, and to truly serve God is to be a servant and helper to all people.
However, as usual, the disciples misunderstand what Jesus is doing. Peter figures that the foot washing is a purification rather than a symbol for humility and service and asks that Jesus wash his hands and head as well. Jesus then makes a slight tangent from the matter of service to the question of purity. He tells Peter that one who has been washed, that is baptized into a commitment to God, is already clean, except for their feet. In this statement, we can read feet as a metaphor for the wear and tear that weighs on us through our daily living.
Our souls can get heavy from life. We see suffering that we do not have the power to directly end. We are tempted to ignore what we know is best to settle for what is easy or which fits our instincts of selfishness or tribalism. We are worn down by our own misfortunes and worries. These are like the dirt that covers the feet of those walking and working on soil or dusty roads. So, while we are taught that we are saved and have committed to God, we still need to be refreshed from time to time.
We need someone to wash our feet, to help us get the grime of shame and despair away from us. We need someone to remind us that we are valued and loved and forgiven. We need someone to tell us that things are going to be okay. And we need to be willing to wash the feet of others, to share that love and forgiveness, even when we may not be fully feeling it ourselves. We just need to remember that no matter how dirty we may feel on the outside, we have a God who sees the beauty we have within, and that we should celebrate that rather than the small things that bring us down.
Prayer: Lord, help us humbly serve others, knowing that we need to be helped and loved from time to time. Amen.
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