Last night we had a "rowdy" supper and footwashing with our kids at church--the parish hall decorated like a colorful tent and belly-dancing music playing and eating by candlelight.... we hear the story of Jesus washing feet, and then do it.
At first, the children would NOT even get close to the bowls of warm scented water bejeweled with flower petals, until one brave boy came forward. All the other children came and watched-- then, after washing the feet of about six children, I stood back, letting them wash each other --wash the feet of their parents. It was so pure, so tender, so joyful...
and in the midst of all those children washing the feet of their parents, I remembered with a new depth of fondness the hour/moment of 12 weeks ago when my sister and I washed the body of our mother--asleep in death, and realized that the intimacy of washing each other is so very intense, and that we truly are an incarnational people called to physical intimacy with an intentionally and intimately physical Lord.
And now, a new image I have never connected with footwashing before--the women/woman scrambling through the garden before dawn, still in the dark, coming to wash and anoint the Lord... all of our washing a pre-dawn and dim version of the intimacy to come.
Today
"For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you."
Yesterday
"Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another."
Today
"So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet."
Christ taught by His actions. He tells us that it is our actions that reflect Him best.
It is my response to actual situations that show that I am one of Christ's followers.
We are not called to chatter; we are called to show our love in acts of humility and kindness.
Were you there when they crucified my Lord?
Looking ahead to Friday --
THE single most important person in the Apostles lives gets down on his hands and knees and washes their feet! Their dirty, stinking, cracked and broken feet! A clear, unequivocal act of servanthood -- the teacher washes their feet. Can you imagine, the person they worship, (but who do you say that I am?)
And what did he get? Can you not stay awake and pray for me but one hour? And, "I do not know this man!" and none save John at the foot of the cross.
"I danced on a Friday when the world turned black
It's hard to dance with the devil on your back
They buried my body, they thought I was gone
But I am the dance, and the dance goes on"
I pray that at the time of trial I too, like John find it somewhere in me to remember all the things he has done for me -- and at that time - be with him.
Jesus washed Judas's feet. Knowing that Judas was planning to betray Him, He nevertheless washed Judas's feet.
Some time ago when my faith was in its infancy, I had a co-worker who was attractive and bright and could be very generous. This person was also immature, self-centered, ambitious, manipulative, vindictive, ruthless and dishonest. I thought quite a bit about the nature of evil when working with this person. Not general, large scale, catastrophhic evil, but individual, personal, everyday evil. Then one day when I was wrestling with a moral dilemma posed by working with this person, I realized that God loves this person. God loves not only "you and me" -- those of us trying to be good people -- but God also loves our enemies and His enemies. And tells us to do likewise.
God became a foot washer - now- why is this so important? why doesn't God say - You are mine- rejoice, be proud, you are on My team? It is because of the necessity of the Gospel- our sins made us unacceptable to our holy and perfect Father. The only way God's justice on our sins could be satisfied is if one who had no sin of His own took the justice in our place; only Jesus qualified. See, Jesus HAD to be a servant TO US in order to deliver us from judgment on OUR sin. Therefore- He in becoming a servant to us- becomes our Master--our Lord the servant becomes our KING. So, in recognition of that, we are called to serve one another. And when we come to Communion, it is our lives, our souls, our bodies that we place upon the altar and beg Him to receive our "cleansed" lives as a sacrifice to Him who has sacrificed All. It ought to break our hearts when some say sin is not sin and put themselves and their desires of the flesh before God, putting themselves in first place. It ought to rend our hearts that any of us would "presume to come to" His table without first cleansing ourselves and begging forgiveness, vowing to sin no more (instead of just going on and doing what one is doing and leaving God out of it).
Thank you, Margaret.
Ok, uncloaking again.
just wondering, I thought you were participating honestly but then you got back on your gay hobby horse.
What ought to break our hearts is when some in our number presume to define other people's "sins" and presume further to judge them. Isn't it enough to deal with one's own sins? one's own "unworthyness"?
Christ washed the feet of "sinners", and then exhorted them to wash each others, and thus asked them emulate his humility. They didn't have absolution of their sins prior to foot washing. In fact, they all felt they were unworthy and he did it anyway.
Humility and service. Quite hard to do on both sides of the footbowl, for the washer or the washee. It would be like just w. washing the feet of a gay man. Are you humble enough to do that?
I had forgotten that the point of the footwashing was to direct us all to wash each other's feet -- something that seems to get lost the way some churches have the priest do the footwashing in the middle of the Maundy Thursday service.
It is a hard directive to follow, especially if confronted with persons who are not among those we know, those who sign up on a form in the vestibule at church the week before, but rather are those we might find anywhere, both in and out of church, whose feet and/or persons are such that the physical intimacy and silent care of footwashing would cause any of us would-be footwashers great discomfort. (And imagine any of us good churchgoers even admitting to such discomfort!).
The passage suggests to me that we only become clean by daring to be touch the grit and grime and smelliness of those we can barely stand to acknowledge, let alone love and care for. The real cleansing seems intended for those who serve and lose their fear of being soiled, rather than for those whose feet are touched by the water.
"So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet."
What a humble, loving gesture we are asked to offer one to the "other," not judging the other, not asking whether the other is good enough, "cleansed" enough, just knowing that the other comes also to the altar, believing, seeking the love, the solace that is offered.
Strong.
Direct.
Example (I most always need example for identification).
Challenge (invitation or Command?)
Very personal and one-on-one.
Loving enemies or attempting and striving to "do the right thing" consistently, even with/to enemies. I keep thinking about enemies...does loving them mean not "banishing" them and simply continuing to be amongst them, making room for them by embracing the evildoer? Include, stay present even though they would/do betray, cause harm to the innocent with words/actions of slander, outcasting and deceit?
I feel and see nothing that doesn't suggest that I stay present, keep attempting to identify with holy examples to "find my way" and to continue the "washing the feet" as they are revealed before me. Rightsized belief? Feet that I will not be able to keep clean no matter how hard I scrub.
It's never been up to ME to do anything accept to attempt to take "proper" action because I don't have the power to change or fix (as if I knew altogether what needs fixing...how could I know?)!
It's my intention that "hear" counts, it's my willingness to not take drastic action against those that would harm me. I will continue to ask God for help and support to NOT take action against those who would harm/hurt people like me.
I need Gods help to become willing and courages as I try and stay present while pursuing honorable behavior.
I face my challenge and my destiny amongst my fellow Christians/others in everyday life.
TRUSTING God that all is as it should be and knowing that I can not "change" many people and things...but yet, maybe I can wash their feet and see if their is a little of Gods love and compassion in me for those I most despise.
Staying fully present, honest and responsible in the reality that God presents to me even in the face of painful betrayl, violations of TRUST and death.
Yes, I need the great example of The Teacher to navigate through my sometimes angry life.
I find it pathetic and sad that there are people who think God calls us to approach on all fours, weeping, gnashing our teeth, flailing ourselves and calling ourselves most unworthy. But these people do exist (I went to churches full of them as a kid).
By contrast, last week at Taize, in the midst of a long silence as I pondered the cross, it became clear to me that God loves all parts of me, washed and unwashed, good and bad, sinful and sinless. Knowing that makes me want to RISE, RISE, RISE. (Not crawl, crawl, crawl).
Is the message of Jesus' footwashing really that he was abasing himself? Or was it rather that he was showing us what it means to serve another's need? If the point was for Jesus to be humiliated, that came later, on the cross, at the instigation of us humans.
God loves you "just wondering."
My parish is located at a real crossroad of misery. More than one person has wandered in, stinking of life on the street. And I have made sure to shake hands at the peace, smile, and move on.
But when they leave the bathrooms foul with vomit or explosive diarhea, yep, I leave that to the sexton... and she's a friend of mine.
My son, OTOH, is the one who has cleaned up the bathroom in the boys' dorm after "accidents" at our last two youth retreats.
Guess I need to take Sunday School lessons more than I give them.
Forgive me, Lord.
"...and had returned to the table..."
Jesus had humiliated himself, and every one else, too. Then he came back to the table.
I participate in ritual footwashings, and I know how it feels. I never quite get accustomed to it, so I practice. Somehow I manage to keep returning to the table, hoping that others may have been likewise "touched".
Lord Jesus, you taught us about the rich soil of mutual humility. Help us your people to learn to trust you more about that, so that we can grow more abundantly in love for one another.
"Do you know what I have done to you?....that you also should do as I have done to you."
Another Golden Rule example for our lives.
I hear God telling me to try leading with my heart.
Episcopal Church in Oakhurst
Next Sunday, Easter Sunday March 23 2:00pm at the historic Little Church on the Hill Oakhurst Cemetery, Highway 41 in central Oakhurst 40188
Holy Eucharist and sermon: Fr. Fred Risard Followed by refreshments and social hour.
Post-Easter Continuing Weekly Services 4:00pm at the Oakhurst Community Center39800 Road 425B, Oakhurst, CA Holy Eucharist and sermon: Fr. Fred Risard
Followed by refreshments and social hour.
Local Coordinator:George Sitts 559.760.3486george@sitts.net
Saint Raphael's Episcopal Church
PO Box 1945 Oakhurst, CA 93644
"you also ought to wash one another's feet." In meditating on this phrase, I remembered my grandmother's feet. I did not wash them, but I would cut her toenails for her. My mother could not do this and would call me. I always saw it as a part of taking care of her - a simple act, but she was always so appreciative. I did it for her because I wanted to, not because I HAD to. In looking back, it was part of my love for her.
This passage also made me think of my sons' feet - pudgy baby feet that I washed many times and of all the cuts and scrapes I washed over the years - the caring, unconditional love I have for my sons.
It is the simple things that God calls me to do. Set an example, not because I feel I must, but because it is a way to show God's love for me - return it to others simply.
The word that "popped" for me this time was one that wasn't actually in the text, but rather what seems to be the bottom line: humbleness. We must humble ourselves.
But then, something else came to me as I read through it again.
"So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet."
Jesus came to wash away our sins. He did not make us sinless, but he washed away our sins. He offered the great gift of mercy and forgiveness.
We, too, must be forgiving.
"Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against..."
Being forgiving takes work. It is far from easy and it is something that I am struggling with at this point.
Jesus is, through this passage, calling me to be forgiving. I guess I know one of the things I'll be praying about and working to accomplish.
I always find the foot washing very moving. This service also gives me the "be still" and "meditate" options which I find so difficult generally.
Three years ago a friend died. She was a older, retired, Charismatic Catholic who came to Latin America, as a widow, to finish out her life "helping others" in the small, lower class community where she lived...she "helped" others for almost two decades and that "help" included building a modest "mission" Church in her aldea...she lived on her Social Security check and had little extra money.
Near the end of her life she was bedridden in a hospital (a hospital who accepted her Social Security check as payment for the excellent 24/7 care that included fulltime oxygen). Almost unable to get out of bed...her tiny body filled with liquids and her feet where very swollen and causing her great pain...she refused pain killers.
Several of her friends would give her "foot massages" on visits to see her. I found the act of "massaging" her feet with medicated lotions extremely personal, upsetting, and I wanted to run away from this kindly and genuinely needed and appreciated act even though afterward I felt "good" that I did it...I've never told anyone. Today, not yesterday, the "footwashing" story took on new meaning for me.
Thanks Be To God I'm able to "give of myself" to others in appropriate ways (sometimes)...even and especially when I don't want to do *it*...God often does for me what I can not, or will not, do for myself...God gives me the courage to take everyday actions that I don't think I can take.
[IT: remember, "Relapse is Part of Recovery". Let's be thankful that just wondering made it to Wednesday?]
Margaret and Careyn: I am in awe, at your physical intimacy w/ your mother and grandmother, living and dead.
When my mom got ALS, and her legs wasted away (first), I remember my revulsion at them---I couldn't even stand to look at them (her bare, wasted feet), much less touch them. :-(
When she died at midnight (9/30/07), after saying prayers (w/ the two LPNs present, who did their final duties), my father and I went back to sleep. We knew that the mortuary was coming to get my mom's body at 8AM.
At about 4AM, in the quiet house (newly quiet, w/ my mom's respirator turned off), I sat bolt upright: my mom's wedding ring.
I thought my father would have to remove it, at 8, if I didn't. So I got up, got some lotion, and did the job. For my dad's sake (I can only hope my mom---and Jesus---appreciated that?).
*****
As I face my current joblessness, I think about the one job I won't take: the growth field, I sometimes disparage to my friends as "Wiping Alzheimers' *sses".
Somehow, I don't see Jesus sharing my disgust.
Lord have mercy!
Jonathan, God loves us all but He doesn't leave us where we are. He transforms us, but we have to love Him more than we love sin:
"Take up thy cross and follow Me,"
I hear the blessed Savior call;
How can I make a lesser sacrifice
When Jesus gave His all? -- Ackley
I was there this year, but I elected not to participate in the foot washing. Nothing spiritual or political involved, my left knee is a chunk of titanium with plastic cartilege. My right knee is blown out and should be replaced, but we have no insurance to cover it. Kneeling is excruciating, and removing / replaceing shoes, sox, compression elastics, and all is difficult. So, I watched.
This is the first Holy Week experience for the parish and its new rector. As a vestry member, I spoke for and voted for her call. I am glad I did. As I watched, I saw a number of young women, say ages 8 to 15 come forward.
They see an example of themselves, I think, in her. As her rather sweet singing voice chanted the eucharistic prayer, they could hear themselves too.
I wonder, is this why we need to be ever more open and diverse in our understanding of leadership? Mayhaps it is. We let more and more people see themselves in relation to the church and in relation to God. As we do, we fulfill the great commission in a special way. We had 'altar boys' when I was a lad, now we have accolytes and the girls add a dimension as well as a model.
Jesus loved everyone even Judas. We can attempt no less.
FWIW
jimB
I have often wondered how this most powerful outward symbol of the inward spirit got missed when the orthodox named the sacraments of the young church. Perhaps this powerfully humbling yet freeing foot washing doesn't lend itself to the hierarchical view of bishops as princes and the church as a monarchy?
Having my feet washed by my priest when I was a catechumen many years ago was a spiritual turning point for me, teaching me to allow others to show me love and care as representatives of the Christ. I was highly nervous and uncomfortable yet deeply moved and cleansed in my spirit by this action.
At a retreat in later years I washed the feet of several people whom I had a hard time sitting in the same room with due to our differing political and theological views. I became enlightened to the fact that it is possible to love someone beyond what they say or do, like God does. What a revelation to me!
Perhaps, just wondering, you should consider whether God is asking you to bear the cross of radical love and acceptance towards those people you consider unrepentant sinners who break your heart?
My own cross is to overcoming my pride and allowing myself and others to be as we are created in a spirit of Christ's love. I am deeply touched that God allows me time and again to start over and fresh when I fail so blatantly to be like the Christ. Jesus shows me the way.
Namaste
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