So, during supper, fully aware that the Father had put everything into his power
and that he had come from God and was returning to God,
he rose from supper and took off his outer garments.
He took a towel and tied it around his waist.
Then he poured water into a basin
and began to wash the disciples’ feet
and dry them with the towel around his waist…
…when he had washed their feet
and put his garments back on and reclined at table again,
he said to them, “Do you realize what I have done for you?
You call me ‘teacher’ and ‘master,’ and rightly so, for indeed I am.
If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another’s feet.
I have given you a model to fo
so that as I have done for you, you should also do.”
–from tonight’s reading from the Gospel according to St. John
Here, on the night he was to be betrayed and the night that he gave us the Eucharist, we see the story of Our Lord’s earthly life in microcosm: he leaves his position at the table where he rightfully sits as Lord and sets aside his outer-garments and takes on the role of the lowliest servant…just as he set aside the glory that he had shared with Father since the beginning and came down to earth, taking on the form of a slave. Every day of his earthly life was a stooping down and a condescension in service to the ones he loved.
This is our model. As he has done, we should do: serve, love, forgive, give all, and abandon ourselves in life and death to the will of the Father. I do a really poor job of all of the above, but there is hope for even a sinner like me in this because he still stoops down to ones he loves and makes us clean.
David Bennett
Jennifer
asimplesinner
Fr. J.
Chad Toney
Jorge Flores
Jonathan B
carmelbennett
nicenehobbit
Jason S
jaybird68
papaz
