he rose from supper and took off his outer garments.
Jesus did this, "who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men" (see Philippians 2:6-7). Jesus himself had said that the second greatest commandment, inseparable from the greatest, was to love one's neighbor as oneself (see Matthew 22:39). Jesus demonstrated that perfectly, loving his own in the world, and loving them to the end. There was no greater love than that which he showed, that of laying down his life for them. And not only for them, but for us as well.
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.
Jesus demonstrated perfect love at every moment of his life. But this washing of the feet of his disciples was the interpretive key that made sense of everything else. He had said that the one who would be a leader should be the servant of all (see Mark 9:35). But until this moment of profound humility they might have missed the point. They might have seen him as someone more like a traditional religious leader, albeit with a different set of rules. But here they learned that he truly came to serve. He came to wash them clean. They were not clean until he came and could not share in his inheritance until they were so.
Jesus answered him,
“Unless I wash you, you will have no inheritance with me.”
Jesus demonstrated humility when he allowed himself to be baptized by John. Now, washing others, he cleansed them with the power of the same life-giving water of the Holy Spirit. It was from one act of humility, one divine condescension that all blessings were poured forth. His incarnation, his baptism, the washing of the feet, and his death on the cross when water poured from his side, were outpourings from eternity of this self-effacing love. That continual self-gift is why the identity of Jesus was that of the true sacrificial lamb who cleansed us by his blood.
They shall take some of its blood
and apply it to the two doorposts and the lintel
of every house in which they partake of the lamb.
To receive the washing and cleansing power of Jesus we need to be willing to be near him not only in his power and glory but also in his humility. This will often result in us being uncomfortable. We know that he is the master and we his followers. If he is willing to do this for us to what lengths ought we not go for one another?
If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet,
you ought to wash one another’s feet.
If we really approach Jesus in his humility it can be a knock out blow to our ego and to our pride. If God himself was willing to go so far for us, to hold nothing back, we can begin to see our own selfishness revealed as silliness, something which we can begin to let go.
There are a countless forms that we may wash one another's feet. Part of the adventure of the Christian life is allowing God to show us creative ways to do so. Only with our pride set aside will these opportunities reveal themselves. So let us first let ourselves be washed so that we can do the same for others.
Jesus, in washing our feet, revealed the deepest significance of the Eucharist, which was a profound gift of his humility. He gave us his very life when he said, “This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” The Eucharist, therefore, has the power to cleanse us. It transforms us into what we receive, able to offer ourselves as nourishment for others, no longer limited by our pride.
How shall I make a return to the LORD
for all the good he has done for me?
The cup of salvation I will take up,
and I will call upon the name of the LORD.
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