Washing feet

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Holy Thursday 2013

Jesus asks us today to “Do this in memorial of me.” And so for over two thousand years we have been celebrating the Mass countless thousands of people have been doing the same as we do this evening.  Also for countless number of years we have been arguing about what Jesus actually meant by these words. We as Christians have argued and have caused many divisions. But maybe we are missing an important issue and it’s something that we notice in the Gospel of John. Notice that John’s Gospel we have just heard is set at the last supper but it does not describe to us the last supper it describes another event. It tells us about Jesus washing his disciples’ feet in service to them. He gets down on the floor and does this profound act of humble service to those who have followed him. He asks them like the breaking of bread to do the same. “I have given you an example so that you may copy what I have done to you.” This “Do this in memory of me” then I think has added significance.
IT is a radical call to discipleship to go into the world and wash the feet of those who are marginalized and on the fringes of our society. IT is to be strong to proclaim Christ to our secularised society: To give joyful hope to the world to show that we are Christians and to tell others about.
I often get the feeling that we as Christians hide in the comfort of the Church we hide behind the pop and the trappings of being an institution it feels comfortable. If we strip away from this worldly trap the arguing about words in the New Missal or if it is Latin or English, and get back to the basic message of the Gospel it is about humble service being Christ for others. Both Pope Francis and Justin Welby both have said in both words and deeds that we need to get back to the basic message of the Gospel, to preach Jesus and show the depth of his love for the world. Don’t let it be a close secret that we share only in the comfort of the Church but let us “ Do this in memory of me” in the world. 

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