Maundy Thursday, Day 38 | 40 to Life
Maundy Thursday
April 14, 2022
The Rev. Robin Teasley
Now before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. The devil had already put it into the heart of Judas son of Simon Iscariot to betray him. And during supper Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God, got up from the table, took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was tied around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus answered, “You do not know now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no share with me.” Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” 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.” For he knew who was to betray him; for this reason he said, “Not all of you are clean.”
After he had washed their feet, had put on his robe, and had returned to the table, he said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord--and you are right, for that is what I am. So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you. Very truly, I tell you, servants are not greater than their master, nor are messengers greater than the one who sent them. If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.
“Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me; and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, `Where I am going, you cannot come.’ I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” John 13:1-17, 31b-35
Let’s talk about feet for a minute. They are the part of our body that receives the most wear and tear as we go through our lives. They start out soft and tender and sweet when we are born, but once we hit the ground running our feet are subjected to much abuse. If we go barefooted, we stump toes on uneven sidewalks or furniture that sticks out. We step on bees and are stung. We get splinters, or cuts from unseen pieces of glass. If we live with children, we will eventually step on Legos or tiny plastic Barbie accessories.
Even when we wear shoes our feet are not safe from damage. Shoes that are too narrow or too loose rub blisters, shoes that don’t support the shape of our arches make our feet ache by the end of the day. High heels cause bunions. If our feet are not cared for our whole bodies can get out of whack, causing knee, hip, and back problems.
Over time our feet look all the worse for wear, and we would rather no one pay close attention to them, much less touch them. And so, hearing that part of the Maundy Thursday service consists of foot washing is enough to keep many from showing up at all, and I am guessing that many of you who have allowed your feet to bring you here tonight might still be somewhat uncomfortable with the idea of having your feet washed. Because having someone see and touch our feet makes us feel vulnerable.
First-century people saw each others’ feet all the time because they wore sandals. The dust and filth of open streets used by animals and humans alike were a reality for everyone’s feet. A good host would always offer water for washing the feet when a guest arrived, and those who were well off, had servants to do this necessary task.
In the story of Jesus’ final meal with his disciples, the writer of John’s gospel focuses on feet. Jesus becomes both the host and the servant, modeling for his disciples what love looks like. For unknown reasons, the disciples gathering for a meal with Jesus had overlooked the washing of feet. So, Jesus got up from the table, took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was tied around him. The shock and silence as the men watched him do this are tangible in the text.
Of course, it’s Peter who blurts out what all the others are thinking and feeling. Impossible! This is a dirty job meant for servants. Our feet are caked with dirt and who knows what else we might have stepped in; they are smelly, cracked, and calloused, and our toenails are broken and chipped. Peter was having none of it! If we are honest, we are not all the comfortable with having our feet washed either.
This is often the problem with Christian community. We like things to be spiritual. We like to study scripture and pray. We like volunteering to help those who are in need, and we like safe, Sunday morning worship. What we don’t like so much is being honest about those not so nice parts of us, those family problems we think no one else has, the doubts we have about our faith, or our addictions and failed relationships. Those things done and left undone we hope no one ever finds out about, because who could accept us as we really are? Our messy feet are merely an outward symbol of all that we don’t like very much about ourselves on the inside. They reveal more than we want to share. To allow another to wash our feet is to say, “here I am, worn and calloused, crooked and twisted, aching and tired of walking this path I’m on.”
I would offer that we are all tired of walking the path we have been on for over two years, a path filled with the hazards of pandemic, politics, and now suffering and war in Europe. We are also tired and impatient of the recent path that Redeemer has so unexpectedly found itself traveling. We want Jesus to smooth the way, fix it Jesus, this is not how we want things to be!
Jesus hears us, even if it doesn’t seem like he is listening. Jesus answers us, even when the answer is not what we expected. Following Jesus is the easiest and most difficult thing we will ever do, just as love is the easiest and most difficult thing we are called to do as Christians. It almost always involves patience and trust. Following Jesus is always the way to healing and peace.
Like the disciples, who were surprised and even affronted by what was before them, we want Jesus to fit our expectations, and we want the road to be smooth and comfortable. But Jesus paid no attention to the complaints, the refusals, the impatience. Instead, he emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in human likeness. And being found in human form, he humbled himself as he knelt and lovingly washed away the grime, the pain, and the woundedness of his disciples. Jesus paid attention with love.
Who could love us as we really are? Jesus. He loves us down to our toes, down to the very messiest and darkest corners of our existence. There are no exceptions. Notice that Judas was with them that night - he had not yet left to betray Jesus. As he took Judas’ feet in his hands and carefully washed them, he loved Judas.
To wash someone’s feet, and to allow our feet to be washed, is to make ourselves vulnerable. It is to admit that none of us are beyond the need of being washed clean, and our feet are an obvious example that none of us is perfect. Jesus has shown us how to love one another in our imperfection – he has set us an example and commanded us to love. The Christian community is called to love and care for one another; to trust one another with our lives – even the not so good parts, the parts we do not understand, and the parts that cause us pain. This is how we love one another.
Following the foot washing, we come to the table to be served the holy food and drink of new and unending life in Christ. The love shared as we serve one another and gather to be fed will sustain us. We are given strength for the journey as we walk with Jesus through Good Friday, as we wait in the quiet of Holy Saturday, and until we discover the joy that awaits us Easter morning!
