Prop - Water and towel.
Reading: John 13:1-17, 31b-35
Reflection:
This text is so challenging and perhaps I’m grateful that we are not in church this year! Cards on the table I have never had my feet washed or washed another’s feet. People have gathered around the communion table and washed each other’s hand with a wet wipe. I have had a willing volunteer wash another’s feet on the chancel. But nope - I’m with Peter. Of course some of you are super cool with feet. To be honest my feet are awesome - in that they carry the rest of me and cope with the running as well as the walking, the standing and the nervous pacing. However, where my hands have starred in publications, my feet would not be welcome! Yup - I have been a hand model!
Of course it is easy to get lost in the action and avoid the attitude in this story. When Jesus did this he didn’t mean for there to an annual foot washing service in Church, by which I’m not suggesting we shouldn’t. But if it is the focus we miss the true beauty of this story.
Think about it for just a moment. What is the Church known for? Not your local congregation but the Church as a whole? How many of you jumped immediately to the negative? Boring, irrelevant, always looking for money, fighting and conflict, hypocrisy and so on. That’s not what we are meant to be about. Religion tends to tick all those boxes because religion is about the window dressing. Religion adds rules, regulations, laws and a culture that often suffocates - children shall be seen and not heard, wearing your Sunday best, women in hats, the Laird in his balcony seats and so on. Nowadays we are much more relaxed but this history still dogs us today.
What strikes me in this event is the verses under the heading the New Commandment. ‘If you have love for one another, then everyone will know that you are my disciples.’
When we think what Church is what should spring to mind is love. Not sickly sweet love, or the kind of love that is fleeting, but that deep abiding love that even death can’t destroy. Love after all is eternal. And when Paul writes his wonderful passage on love Jesus is at the heart of it.
This event teaches us something ever so important about how we are to live our lives as Christians. Now matter how big the silver spoon in our mouth that we were born with we are to lift that broom, clean that toilet, hold the hand of the beggar on the street, indeed wash their feet. Here Jesus gives an example of love that is all encompassing. No matter who you are, what you have or don’t have, you are capable of that kind of love. And that love might call for you to be stripped of all dignity but if that love brings glory to God then you are doing just fine.
This event paints the identity of Jesus for all to see. What the disciples saw - Lord and Teacher and indeed he was. But right back at the start we heard that Jesus knew he was from God and to God he would return. He was confident in his identity. And he knew that his hour was at hand. Often the dying feel the need or desire to comfort the living. And he wanted to do one last task for his dear friends who he loved so much.
And secure in his identity as loved one of God he was willing to shed his dignity - take off his clothes - and take on the role of a servant and wash the feet of his students. It was such a menial task that not even male Jew servants had to do it. Women, children and non-Jew males - yes. Maybe, just maybe a wife might wash the feet of her husband, maybe for his birthday - you heard it here first ladies or a student for a teacher. But a teacher for his student - oh my giddy Aunt.
Peter flips as he is so uncomfortable and within that dialogue we sympathise with his discomfort. And it presents Jesus with a teaching opportunity. Whether he meant that or not we don’t know but it was an opportunity to give his final instructions. He knew they would be grieving in the days to come and indeed after his ascension. As I have washed your feet, wash one another’s feet. As I have loved you, love one another. As the Father forgives you, forgive one another. God - always the one who initiates and we are called to respond.
And there is room for everyone - we just choose whether we walk in the light or the darkness. In the story we are reminded more than once that Judas is trouble. Jesus clearly knew but he doesn’t stop him. In fact he washes his feet as well. Jesus washed the feet of the one who betray him. Just hold that thought for a moment.
Would you let Jesus wash your feet? Would you feel like a fraud or a fake like Judas? Would you be uncomfortable like Peter, flustered and embarrassed? Would you be relaxed, knowing that Jesus is always an out of the box thinker and to be honest pure weird? Would you be in stunned silence? Or if after Peter just smart enough to keep your mouth shut?
Contemplate the bowl of water before you. Stick your hand in the water - what would it be like to kneel before another and wash their feet? Pause for a moment and picture the scene - either as Jesus or the one getting your feet washed. How do you feel? If you were Jesus would you wash the feet of Judas? Pause and consider these.
Like Peter we are happy to serve our Lord but we are often reluctant to let him serve us. Holy Week and all it contains is God serving us. The Lord and Teacher, God’s Son kneels and washes our feet by stripping himself of all dignity and hanging on the tree. Today strikes the core of who we are to God. We paint a picture of ourselves as the bad guys. We sing the hymns - ‘I hear my mocking voice call out among the scoffers.’
But tonight reminds us that God doesn’t blame us. He loves us. As I have loved you so you must love one another. Even from the cross Jesus prays - ‘Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.’. Only love can say that. There are theological debates to be had on ransoms, atonement, substitution and appeasing the wrath of God. And we might never truly find a way through that but none of us can rule out love.
This new commandment is not new in a way. It is genuinely as old as the hills. But what Jesus calls love is richer, deeper, more extravagant that the simple, often superficial love we carry. Even Jesus said that greater love has no one but this to lay down their life for their friend. Paul says in Romans we might be willing to do that. Tertullian wrote of the great love that Christians had for one another. During the plagues Christians were renowned for staying to help - always being the last to flee.
What is the Church known for? Lord and Teacher, I pray it is for love without dignity, compassion without price, welcome without prejudice and Lord, may it start with me.
What is Christ known for? Pure and precious love that sees me as I am and prays forgiveness over me.
When we focus on where the blame lies we make it all about us. When we focus on love we make it all about Jesus.
Can we be courageous enough to focus on the wonderful, awe-inspiring, mind-blowing love that is Jesus Christ? As we share in the Passion narratives tomorrow - follow the love trail and be grateful and blessed by how much you are loved. And may that love help us truly love one another.
For a moment, just rest in the knowledge that Jesus loves you. Maybe the wee verse if you remember it could be your mantra -
Jesus loves me - this I know - for the bible tells me so.
Yes Jesus loves me.
Pause and let those words remind you that Jesus loves you with a rich, deep, powerful, life giving, life changing love. And to him you are worth it even if you don’t think so. How does that make you feel? Talk with Jesus about it. Pause and pray!
Prayer and Blessing
Lord Jesus,
We are just blown away by how much you love us. How much you love me. And to be honest I can’t get my head around it. It is so much easier to blame myself and those like me for your death. And i know as i listen tomorrow to the story again, I will want to weep and shout and plead. I will beg forgiveness. But Lord you don’t blame me. You love me. Lord how can that be?
Who am I that you care for me? Lord the psalmist was so right - what is man that you care for him? Lord, in this messed up world, where we hurt each other so readily with our words and our actions help us love one another. In our grief and loss, touched by the sorrow of death and struggle, Lord may your deep abiding love for us enable us to reach out and comfort one another without prejudice or judgement. This week reminds us more than any that we are equal in the sight of God. None of us are worthy of the love you have shown and yet that love took you to the cross. That love let you overlook our stupidity, our stubbornness, our arrogance and pray those immortal words - Father forgive them.
Lord and teacher may we known as the church of the towel and the bowl, worried not about our dignity and status, loving without limit. Lord and teacher may we known as the church that forgives even when we are betrayed, excluded or crucified. Lord and teacher may we known as the Church that would be truly worthy to be your bride.
As we look towards Golgotha may we focus on your love that we might truly appreciate your sacrifice and truly rejoice at the empty tomb. In your name we pray.
Bless us this night with peace and love,
and open our eyes to the opportunities to love with towel in hand!
And the blessing of God almighty, rest upon you and remain with you now and forevermore. Amen
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