Washing Feet: An Example of Service or Something More?

Jesus Washing Peter's Feet by Ford Madox Brown 1852-6 So, during supper, fully aware that the Father had put everything into his power and that he had come from God and was returning to God, he rose from supper and took off his outer garments. He took a towel and tied around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and dry them with the towel around his waist. - John 13:2-5 Today, in 2024 A.D., we don't give much thought to these few sentences. The impact of the activity of Jesus is lost on us because a) We wear shoes everywhere. Many of us even have "inside shoes" and "outside shoes". b) The Church's liturgy (as popularly practiced) often misses or lessens the importance of this event (pro tip: it's not simply Jesus giving and example of serving others). Contrary to what we see in the movies, the roads in the time of Jesus weren't all covered in perfectly placed cobblestones or silky, fine dust. If r

God is Love

Readings for Wednesday of the Twenty-fourth Week of Ordinary Time

St. John tells us twice in his first letter, "God is love." A great meditation is to take this knowledge of God and combine it with the very well known first reading from today. In this reading Saint Paul tells us about love and what love is. I have edited, in part, his writing for this meditation. I hope St. Paul doesn't mind!

Brothers and sisters:
Strive eagerly for the greatest spiritual gifts.

But I shall show you a still more excellent way.

If I speak in human and angelic tongues but do not have God, I am a resounding gong or a clashing cymbal. And if I have the gift of prophecy and comprehend all mysteries and all knowledge; if I have all faith so as to move mountains, but do not have God, I am nothing. If I give away everything I own, and if I hand my body over so that I may boast but do not have God, I gain nothing.

God is patient, God is kind. He is not jealous, God is not pompous, He is not inflated, He is not rude, He does not seek His own interests, He is not quick-tempered, He does not brood over injury, He does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. He bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. God never fails.

This meditation really comes to light with today's Gospel. Here Jesus faces a damned-if-you-do, damned-if-you-don't generation. If He does one thing, criticism. If He does the opposite, criticism.

Through all of this Jesus is patient and kind. He is not jealous, pompous, inflated, rude, or seek His own interests. He's not quick tempered nor does He brood over this injury. He bears it all for He is Love incarnate. His love was vindicated by it's children or fruit. His love brought about salvation.

Comments

Elizabeth said…
This is really awesome. I never thought of the reading with God in place of love. It seems as though it should have been obvious now that you filled in all the places where love and it were. It's beautiful. Thank you for this post.