Maundy Thursday
April 06, 2023
John 13:1-17, 31b-35
In May of 2010, Jon and I walked some of the Camino de Santiago in Spain. The Camino de Santiago is also known as Pilgrimage of Compostela or The Way of St. James. It is a network of pathways leading to the shrine of St. James the Great located in the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela in Galicia, Spain. This pilgrimage was started at the beginning of the 9th century when the relics of St. James were discovered. Today it can take more than a month to walk the entire length of the Camino. Jon and I walked only a portion over one week. Some of our days during that week had 16 miles of walking. This daily walking took a toll on my feet despite having the best footwear possible. I had huge blisters and callouses. My feet were ugly and flawed.
The disciples who walked with Jesus did not have the benefit of great footwear. They walked on dirty dusty roads and paths every day for the three years of the ministry of Jesus. They wore the most basic of footwear likely made of rope and leather. All this walking took a toll on their feet. At the end of each day, their feet were dirty and sweaty. They likely had blisters and very thick callouses. For everyone foot washing was a common practice when entering a house in the evening. It was usually performed by the lowest servant in the house.
In this story of foot washing in today’s reading, it is easy to see the humility and service of Jesus as he knelt to clean each disciples’ feet. He deeply loved these twelve that had been with him over the years of his ministry. He knew that he was nearing the time of the crucifixion. He was gathering close to the ones he loved most. The act of foot washing by Jesus was an acceptance of all the flaws ugliness of the disciples. The foot washing symbolized the washing of sins that would happen when Jesus died on the cross. The disciples did not understand the significance of this act at that time, but Jesus knew that they would come to understand.
Jesus is speaking to us today with this metaphor. This foot washing shows us that we are loved and accepted no matter what. He accepts us with our blisters and callouses. He accepts us with all our flaws and imperfections. Jesus loves us deeply. He will wash away all our sins. As Jesus commanded the disciples to do for each other as he had done, he was not instructing them to literally go out and wash feet. He was commanding them to go out into the world and love radically. He commands us to do the same.
In the same way I have loved you, you are to love each other. This kind of love will be the sign for all people that you are walking the road with me (John 13:34b-35).
Kat Dailey