Maundy Thursday - Thursday, April 18, 2019

Holy Cross Monastery, West Park, NY

Br. Bernard Delcourt, OHC
Maundy Thursday - Thursday, April 18, 2019

Exodus 12:1-4, (5-10), 11-14
1 Corinthians 11:23-26
John 13:1-17, 31b-35

Click here for an audio version of the sermon.

Love one another. Just as Christ loves you. You will be known as followers of Jesus by the love you have for one another. That is tonight’s important message. Love one another as Christ loves you.

And Jesus taught this important lesson by a show and tell. He washed the feet of the disciples as an example of the love he showed them. That evening the disciples got an embodied experience of what Jesus wanted them to live by. Love one another as I love you.

*****

The human need for physical, embodied practices seems universal. Before the age of literacy started to spread in Europe in the sixteenth century, things like pilgrimage, prayer beads, body prostrations, bows and genuflections, “blessing oneself” with the sign of the cross, statues, sprinkling things with holy water, theatrical plays and liturgies, incense and candles all allowed the soul to know itself through the outer world.

Even in our literate age, these practices often talk to the soul more deeply and effectively than what preachers and teachers can achieve with words. St. Francis reportedly said, "Preach Jesus, and if necessary use words."

Throughout Christian history, these embodied practices have been with us. Some of these practices we call “Sacraments.” Many other of these practices have sacramental value even if they are not part of our list of seven sacraments.

Our reading from First Corinthians today tells us of the institution of the Eucharist, a central sacrament in our Christian practice.

But I will focus on our Gospel reading. Our reading from the Gospel according to John tells us of an action of Jesus that feels like a sacrament to me.

The washing of the feet was a visible sign of God’s love for us in and beyond the life of Jesus of Nazareth.

*****

But before we envision the meanings of Jesus’ foot washing, let’s get our bearings of first-century Eastern Mediterranean hospitality in order to better understand the counterculture that John the Evangelist presents in his Gospel.

In Jesus’ time, when people were invited to partake of an important meal at someone’s house they would have bathed at home before attending the meal.

In going to their host’s house, they would have had to walk the streets in their sandals. Urban streets were often unpaved and nearly always filthy with animal and human waste.

In walking the streets to their host’s house, the guests’ feet would have gotten dirty again. Upon arrival at their host’s house, they would have benefited first thing of the courtesy of a foot washing.

As Jesus says, “One who has bathed does not need to wash, except for the feet, but is entirely clean.” (John 13:10a).

Normally, the foot washing would have occurred prior to the meal. Also, the foot washing would have been performed by a slave or a low-ranking servant.

From this anthropological background to foot washing, we know that John is relating the foot washing as a symbol. A multi-layered symbol as it is.

*****

In the supper scene that includes the washing of the feet, some have seen a symbolic representation of the Incarnation. Others have seen references to baptism and reconciliation.

Let’s look at the Incarnation connection.
Jesus starts off as the guest of honor, reclining at the table in the central position.

He interrupts the dinner to take on one of the most demeaning tasks of a slave. He discards his outer robe.  He ties a towel around himself. Then he proceeds to wash the feet of his disciples turning upside down the honor hierarchy they have lived with for the last three years. After the washing, He then puts on his outer robe again and comes back to his place of honor at the table.

The Incarnation symbolism is that God in Jesus assumes the role of a slave in taking on human flesh before being glorified with the experience and nature of that human flesh back into divinity.

To quote from the Christian hymn included in Paul’s letter to the Philippians which we heard this past Sunday:

Christ Jesus,
who, though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God
as something to be exploited,
but emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
being born in human likeness.
And being found in human form,
he humbled himself
and became obedient to the point of death--
even death on a cross. (Philippians 2:5-8)

*****

So we can see the foot washing as a metaphor for the Incarnation. But of course, the washing of the feet was also Jesus’ embodied way of teaching us his new commandment:

“I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.” (John 13:34)

In Latin this verse starts with “Mandatum novum do vobis.” From that first word “Mandatum” come our English words Maundy and mandate. This the Thursday of the new mandate.

The new commandment turns the world upside down. Those invested with honor and power are to be servant leaders, ministering to their followers, serving the greater good of their subordinates.

And what is “service”? The ideal of service is self-gift, an expression of love. That ideal of self-gift may be taken to the extreme of laying ¨down one's life for one's friends¨ (John 15:13)

And who is to serve? Everyone is to seek to be of service to others. Certainly, those called to leadership but, in fact, all those involved with God.

This service is to be an embodiment of God’s agapê; the highest form of love/charity and the love of God for humans and of humans for God.

We are not to seek honor, glory, and power over our fellows. We are to seek the greater good of all and to do this with utter humility.

And at this supper, Jesus knew “his hour had come.” This hour would involve Jesus’s deepest act of humility; to accept his passion for the love of God and the love of his friends. Jesus teaches the new commandment by example through and through. At this supper and beyond.

*****

So as you witness the foot washing tonight, think of how you humbly embody agapê in your life, in your ministry; remembering that we all are ministers in the flow of God’s Love. Let your feet be washed and may you walk humbly with your God in this Triduum and beyond.

Amen.