The Washing of the Disciples’ Feet

Today's Reflections 
 

 

The Washing of the Disciples’ Feet 

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Jn 13:1-15

¹Before the feast of Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to pass from this world to the Father. He loved his own in the world and he loved them to the end. ²The devil had already induced Judas, son of Simon the Iscariot, to hand him over. So, during supper, ³fully aware that the Father had put everything into his power and that he had come from God and was returning to God, ⁴he rose from supper and took off his outer garments. He took a towel and tied it around his waist. ⁵Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and dry them with the towel around his waist. ⁶He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Master, are you going to wash my feet?” ⁷Jesus answered and said to him, “What I am doing, you do not understand now, but you will understand later.” ⁸Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “Unless I wash you, you will have no inheritance with me.” ⁹Simon Peter said to him, “Master, then not only my feet, but my hands and head as well.” ¹⁰Jesus said to him, “Whoever has bathed has no need except to have his feet washed, for he is clean all over; so you are clean, but not all.” ¹¹For he knew who would betray him; for this reason, he said, “Not all of you are clean.”

¹²So when he had washed their feet [and] put his garments back on and reclined at table again, he said to them, “Do you realize what I have done for you? ¹³You call me ‘teacher’ and ‘master,’ and rightly so, for indeed I am. ¹⁴If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another’s feet. ¹⁵I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do.”

You ought to wash one another’s feet. The Holy Thursday liturgy, both the Chrism Mass and the Mass of the Lord’s Supper, speaks eloquently about the intimate connection between the priest and the Eucharist. Led by their respective bishops, the priests renew their sacerdotal promises. The institution of the Eucharist is remembered and its continuity guaranteed by Jesus’ instruction to his disciples: “Do this in memory of me.”

In the Gospel, “service” is highlighted as another integral part of the Eucharist and of the priestly ministry. There is no meaningful remembrance of the Lord’s great sacrifice of his life without our day-to-day “dying” to ourselves in loving service of our brothers and sisters.

Where true charity dwells, God is present.