and taking a towel, wrapped it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began
to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel he was wearing. When he came to
Simon Peter, Simon said to him, “Why, Lord, you want to wash my feet!” Jesus said, “What
I am doing you cannot understand now, but afterwards you will understand it.” Peter replied,
“You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you can have
no part with me.”
“Whoever has taken a bath does not need to wash (except the feet), for he is clean all over.
You are clean, though not all of you.”
When Jesus had finished washing their feet, he put on his garment again, went back to the
table and said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me Master
and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I, then, your Lord and Master, have washed your
feet, you also must wash one another’s feet.
Reflect
Washing feet was an everyday occurrence in Israel during Jesus’ lifetime. Walking on dusty
roads in sandals made it essential. This task was typically relegated to the lowliest servant
in the household since it was dirty, humiliating work. Yet Jesus did this for his disciples. One
line from the Gospel helps us understand how he could do this. Jesus knew that he had
come from God and was going to God. Because he knew his origin and his destiny, no
act of loving service could be too humble. Certain of his relationship with God, he could
kneel before his disciples and wash their feet – even Judas Iscariot who would betray him.
In the same way, our relationship with God can help us find the grace we need to pour out
our lives in loving service, especially to those on the margins. The margins of society are
rarely comfortable, tidy places. The margins are places where we must face the messiness
of life and help to bring charity, healing, and justice. We can only do that if we know that we
have come from God and will return to him, a promise sealed in the Eucharist.
© Copyright Bible Diary 2023