John 13:1-17, 31b-35
We are now standing on the eve of Good Friday. Good Friday – that Good yet terrible day when Jesus laid down his life for us on the hard wood of the cross that everyone might come within the reach of this saving embrace.
The shadow that Good Friday casts is long and dark. The shadow of Good Friday extends throughout the entire liturgical season of lent. That shadow of Good Friday is undoubtedly present here for us tonight.
Today, Maundy Thursday, we remember how Jesus spent his last full day on earth before he was put to death. This evening, we recall the events that took place on that Holy night, and we gather to wait with Christ.
The Gospel tells us that Jesus was aware of his impending death on the evening before he died. Jesus knew that, that night he would be eating supper with his friends for the very last time. Jesus knew that someone in his inner circle of trusted companions was soon going to betray him. Jesus knew that the journey to the cross would be one of incomparable suffering.
Jesus’ last night with his disciples must have been an extraordinarily painful. Yet, on this day, Jesus persisted in his life-giving work of teaching and service.
Jesus took the time on this night, Maundy Thursday, to teach his disciples a new commandment. The term “Maundy” that we Anglicans use to refer to this day was derived from the Latin phrase, “mandatus novum”, which means “the new commandment”.
Jesus’ new commandment was ‘to love one another as he had loved them’. Jesus taught this new commandment by both deeds and words.
Jesus demonstrated his command to love one another as he had loved them by repeating a gesture that must have been shocking for the disciples. Jesus, whom they knew as their Lord, got up from his place at the table, and crouched down beside each of his disciples… one by one. Jesus extended his hands to lift up his disciples’ filthy feet. And he then lovingly washed the feet of the disciples, drying them in his own garments.
John is the only Gospel writer who tells of the foot washing. In the other narratives about the last supper, the Gospel writers tell of the words of institution over the bread and the wine. John’s foot washing account took the place of the words of institution in his account of the last supper.
So here John, whose Gospel is the most theological and image-driven of the Gospels, lifted up the account of the foot washing – even above the words of the institution!
The action of the foot washing exemplifies the love that Jesus embodied. Jesus’ love was agapic love, self-sacrificial love. Jesus’ love is a love divine that seeks to benefit the other.
During his life on the earth, Jesus Christ loved humankind in a totally unique way. Jesus was filled with the God’s spirit, yet he emptied himself and humbled himself. Though filled with the spirit of the Almighty god, Jesus took on the role of a slave to serve others.
Jesus loved humankind with the heart of God, yet held and served humankind with his hands made of flesh. Jesus healed the sick, exorcised demons, and even raised a man from the dead.
Jesus’ example of foot washing is good news for us. While we may never perform miracles as Jesus did, we can care for one another. We can wash one another’s feet as Jesus did. The simple, humble service that Jesus performed for his disciples in the foot washing shows us that even our small acts performed in love have a place in the Kingdom of God.
We can be united with God as we accept the divine love of Jesus, which he literally died to offer us. We share in Christ’s mission as we allow this divine love to take root deep within us, and then share this love with one another.
AMEN.