John 13:1-17, 31b-35
1Now 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. 2The devil had already decided that Judas son of Simon Iscariot would betray Jesus. And during supper 3Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands and that he had come from God and was going to God, 4got up from supper, took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself. 5Then 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. 6He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” 7Jesus answered, “You do not know now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” 8Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no share with me.” 9Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” 10Jesus 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.” 11For he knew who was to betray him; for this reason he said, “Not all of you are clean.”
12After he had washed their feet, had put on his robe, and had reclined again, he said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? 13You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for that is what I am. 14So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you. 16Very truly, I tell you, slaves 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.
31bJesus said, “Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. 32If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. 33Little 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.’ 34I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. 35By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
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Last year’s Maundy Thursday passage was from Pastor Mark, and I was so caught up sharing my experiences of participating as a Communion assistant and all that went into the preparation of the bread and wine. However, what I missed was the point of the story which is that the evening was all about LOVE. So, I requested this day again to focus on that.
This year the passage is from the Gospel of John where the verses say more about love. Early on it says he loved them to the end. Jesus showed love to the disciples and us by washing their dusty, dirty feet. He demonstrated humility and met their basic needs. Each of us has these same basic needs and none of us is better than another. To digress for a moment, when one goes into a Finnish sauna all titles are left at the door. No one is better or higher than another. And may we remember that Jesus left them with a new commandment which was to love one another just as he loved them.
Prayer: Jesus, thank you for loving us to the end and may we keep your commandment and do the same for others.
—Mary Kautto