Jesus knew that the Father had entrusted all things to him, and as he had come from God, he was going to God. So he got up from the table,
removed his garment, and taking a towel, wrapped it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet,
and to wipe them with the towel he was wearing. When he came to Simon Peter, Simon asked him, “Why, Lord, do you want to wash my feet?” Jesus said,
“What I am doing you cannot understand now, but afterward you will understand it.” Peter replied, “You shall never wash my feet!” Jesus answered him,
“If I do not wash you, you can have no part with me.” Then Simon Peter said, “Lord, wash not only my feet, but also my hands and my head!”
Jesus replied, “Whoever has taken a bath does not need to wash (except the feet), for he is clean all over. You are clean, though not all of you.”
Jesus knew who was to betray him; because of this he said, “Not all of you are clean.”
When Jesus had finished washing their feet, he put on his garment again, went back to the table, and said to them,
“Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me Master and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I, then, your Lord and Master,
have washed your feet, you also must wash one another’s feet. I have given you an example, that as I have done, you also may do.
REFLECTION:
Too often, when we think of Jesus’ act of washing his disciples’ feet, we think of the symbolic act of footwashing we witness in our churches on Holy Thursday.
But too often, as well, we forget that while the act may have been symbolic, there was nothing symbolic about what Jesus wanted to teach.
He meant what he taught his disciples, literally, i.e. we do have to serve one another, we do have to humble ourselves as he did,
we do have to take the lowliest place. The world will tell us differently. It will, in fact,
tell us that what Jesus did was no more than a symbol – conveniently forgetting that he didn’t only speak to them of the path of humility,
but lived it himself, going as far as offering his very life for those he sought to serve.
Do an act of charity to someone whom you have not been kind to or who has not been kind to you. Is there someone with whom you’ve held a grudge,
someone you may have hurt, or someone who may have offended you? Do an act of charity to that person: a kind word, a simple affirmation,
an apology, a word of forgiveness.
© Copyright Bible Diary 2020