e-vo for Holy Week

Dearest e-votees-

I hope and pray that you are having a blessed Holy Week. Today is Maundy Thursday. It is the day we commemorate the Last Supper, the washing of the disciples’ feet by Jesus and the great commandment to “love one another” (the word “Maundy” derives from the Latin word for “command”).

May you be fed with the bread of life, humbled by and responsive to the call to be about washing feet and beyond all things loving. And may you be blessed to be among a community of others who are similarly engaged in this powerful part of the Passion account.

Peace,
Karl

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1 Now before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. 2 The devil had already put it into the heart of Judas son of Simon Iscariot to betray him. And during supper 3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God, 4 got up from the table, took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself. 5 Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was tied around him. 6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, "Lord, are you going to wash my feet?" 7 Jesus answered, "You do not know now what I am doing, but later you will understand." 8 Peter said to him, "You will never wash my feet." Jesus answered, "Unless I wash you, you have no share with me." 9 Simon Peter said to him, "Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!" 10 Jesus said to him, "One who has bathed does not need to wash, except for the feet, but is entirely clean. And you are clean, though not all of you." 11 For he knew who was to betray him; for this reason he said, "Not all of you are clean." 12 After he had washed their feet, had put on his robe, and had returned to the table, he said to them, "Do you know what I have done to you? 13 You call me Teacher and Lord—and you are right, for that is what I am. 14 So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. 15 For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you. 16 Very truly, I tell you, servants are not greater than their master, nor are messengers greater than the one who sent them. 17 If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.

Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. 32 If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. 33 Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me; and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, "Where I am going, you cannot come.' 34 I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."

John 13:1-17, 31b-35, NRSV

Three things to note about this account:

We resist God’s terms. Peter represents us all in his haggling over if and how he will have his feet washed. Jesus comes as a slave doing the some of the lowest work in the house. Peter resists. Jesus persists. Peter negotiates. Jesus does what Jesus intended to do. God comes to us on God’s terms—in forms that are unsettling and challenging. We resist. God persists. We negotiate. God does what God intends to do. The question for us is “Will we have a share with God?” If so it is deeply dependent on receiving God on God’s terms.

Judas was at the Last Supper. We can be so quick to determine that others are not worthy to receive communion or to have a part in our community. We judge. We quarantine. We shun. Judas was at the supper. Judas had his feet washed by Jesus. If there is room enough for Judas on this most holy of nights surely we can make room for others who don’t pass our muster. The truth is there are other people who look at us just as harshly. None of us deserve to be here—all of us come by grace. For all the reasons people move to exclude others from our communities we have this stunning counter-example of Jesus tending to Judas. Not so long after this Jesus will be praying to “Forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” The call on us is to be like Jesus which includes reaching out to our enemies with love and humility.

“If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.” There is a distinction between knowing and doing. There are blessings to be had when we follow after Jesus with a basin and a towel. When we allow our lives to be transformed into the ways that Jesus calls us we will be blessed. More importantly we can be a blessing to others. There are all sorts of ragtag people in this world—including us. What an honor and a privilege to be able to bless others by serving them, by letting them come as they are and by entering into the uncomfortable spots with them in order that all of us might be blessed. Life and ministry—I continue to learn—are quite messy and humbling at times. But there is blessing. And we are blessed by God in order that we might be a blessing.


Dear God,

+ Have your way with us this day—draw us in on your terms.
+ Stir us to love and reach out to our enemies this day—make us more like You.
+ Help us bless others this day—because you have surely blessed us.

Amen.