Just Being Himself…
After Our Lord washed the feet of his apostles, he asked, Do you realize what I have done to you (Jn 13:12)? After 2,000 years we probably still don’t understand—and I include myself. What follows is another small attempt at understanding.
One commentator explained that there probably was no servant at the Last Supper. It was to be a very private meal of Jesus with his disciples. Therefore, there was no servant present to wash the feet of guests as was the usual custom. All the apostles would have had unwashed feet, and no one was humble enough to take on this servant task. Even when Jesus came in, no one offered to wash his feet.
This would have been the background for the Lord getting up and washing the feet of the apostles. No one else had the humility to do so.
I invite you specially to identify with Peter’s situation. He had been with this man, Jesus, for several years. He had heard his beautiful teachings, witnessed his miracles of healing and even his raising several people from death. His most extraordinary experience was witnessing this man being transformed into a being of light on Mount Tabor. Afterwards, he acknowledged him as the Christ.
And now … and now, this extraordinary man was kneeling at his feet and washing them! Surely, we can identify with his reluctance to let his Lord and Master wash his feet. Wouldn’t we be embarrassed as well?
To bring this closer to our own experience, what if you had had your feet washed by Pope Francis? (He has been washing the feet of refugees and prisoners for several years now.) Wouldn’t you be a bit embarrassed if the head of the Catholic Church were kneeling before you, washing and even kissing your feet? What would be going through your mind and heart?
Perhaps the most mystifying aspect of this scene is what the Lord said to Peter, If you do not allow me to wash you, you can have no part with me (Jn 13:8).What did that mean?
We label Our Lord’s gesture as an “act of humility.” This is our word because we would have to overcome our pride to do such a thing—which the apostles were refusing to do, precisely because of their pride.
But the Lord didn’t see it as an act of humility. He was not proud, so he could not perform “acts of humility.” He was simply acting according to his divine nature.
He was saying to Peter, “Unless you allow me to show you, by my actions, what it is to be a child of God, you can’t really be my disciple. Just as you allow me to teach you by my words, so you must allow me full freedom to demonstrate what it is to act like a child of God.”
In the future, whenever the apostles were tempted not to serve, out of pride, I’m sure this powerful example of Christ inspired them to humble service. And when the early Christians met in their homes for the agape service, and if no servants were present, did the apostles actually wash the feet of their fellow Christians after the example of Christ? Quite likely.
We only hear this beautiful gospel once a year, on Holy Thursday. I suggest you read it more often so that Christ’s example of how to be a child of God becomes more of an inspiration in your life.
From Word at Journey’s End (unpublished manuscript).
