Washed Feet

At church services tonight there will be Communion served and, for some, foot or hand washing offered. We will be having Communion tomorrow morning and mentioning Jesus’ washing of the disciples’ feet.

I wonder how this act as a servant impacted the disciples gathered in that upper room. Jesus, who was so many things to them - Rabbi, living God, teacher, encourager, valuer of them - now acting as a humble servant. But not only that, there is the added layer that Jesus washed the feet of all of them without exception, knowing how they would turn from Him over the next hours.

Peter at first refused. Judas allowed it despite his plan of betrayal. The rest were baffled, perhaps confused, maybe humbled. He washed the feet of each one. Peter wanted his whole body washed, but Jesus had a purpose in washing their tired, dirty feet. It wasn’t for Peter to decide how his Lord should serve, in this moment or later in the garden of Gethsemane.

Tomorrow at worship we are looking at passages from Matthew 26 and 27, focusing on events that the disciples personally witnessed. We’re looking at the story from their vantage point, as they confront their own duplicitousness and fear. And we ask the question - when have we denied Jesus? when have we betrayed Him? when have we abandoned Him?

Tonight offers the opportunity to anticipate what is to come and to be in that uncomfortable space of accepting His grace and lowering of Himself. We can’t claim to not know how He expected us to treat others. The example is right there of doing something for someone that only a servant or perhaps a parent would willingly do. We can’t pretend that His words don’t apply to us. If we gather around His table, then these stories are ours as well.

It’s been a difficult couple of weeks, a difficult season, a difficult few years. This story matters. It matters to know that He loved the disciples enough to serve them and to teach them in His last days and hours. He knew what was coming and wanted to prepare them as much as He could. He cared deeply about them and about His legacy and to set an example.

After the betrayal, denial, trial, abuse and finally the cross, He was laid to rest. He experienced the depths of the darkest emotions humans can have. And He overcame them and kept His promises, the words that the disciples just couldn’t understand.

Easter Sunday we’re also reading from Matthew. This year it stood out to me that Jesus couldn’t just let the angel tell the Marys what had happened. He needed to 'meet them on the road. The risen Saviour wanted to be with them and to reassure them. I believe that He wants to be with us on whatever road we are on. He knows how hard it is to experience awful things. He comes to wherever we are to ask us to share the Good News and to tell others to anticipate His presence.

How wonderful would it be to have Him in front of us, to have the proof Thomas so wanted. How wonderful it would be to be able to hold His feet out of humility and being overcome by emotion. As our liturgy for tomorrow says, that promised day isn’t here yet. Instead, we hold on to each other. We are the body of Christ for each other and we see Him in our brothers and sisters walking with us. That is Jesus alive among us. When we are able to see Him in those accompanying us.

Will you allow your feet to be washed? Will you allow Jesus to do that for you, perhaps in the vessel of someone you don’t know well but who wishes to serve you? And will you be willing to be Christ to someone else, a part of the body making Jesus visible to someone needing that reassurance? May you have a blessed Easter weekend, able to experience the fullness of Christ’s love.