Maundy Thursday

John 13:1-15

Now 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. The devil had already put it into the heart of Judas son of Simon Iscariot to betray him. And during supper Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God, got up from the table, took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself. Then 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. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, ‘Lord, are you going to wash my feet?’ Jesus answered, ‘You do not know now what I am doing, but later you will understand.’ Peter said to him, ‘You will never wash my feet.’ Jesus answered, ‘Unless I wash you, you have no share with me.’ Simon Peter said to him, ‘Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!’ Jesus 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.’ For he knew who was to betray him; for this reason, he said, ‘Not all of you are clean.’ After he had washed their feet, had put on his robe, and had returned to the table, he said to them, ‘Do you know what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord—and you are right, for that is what I am. So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you.

Music

Maundy Thursday

Today is Maundy Thursday, the 9 April  

As Madison Cunningham, with The Porter’s Gate sings, ‘Little Things with Great Love’, begin to notice how you feel today… Whether you are praying alone or with others, whether afraid or at peace, the Lord is with you now.  

Today’s reading is from the Gospel of John.    

One of the striking things about the pandemic that is afflicting us all over the world, is the stories of all kinds of generous human acts, where people stretch out a trembling hand to the vulnerable. On this Maundy Thursday we enter into the solemn drama of the Easter triduum; and this year we are doing it without the possibility of acting it out in church.  

In this passage, might Jesus be telling us something, at a moment when the reader might have been expecting the story of the institution of the Eucharist…  

Imagine that you are one of the disciples having your feet washed. How do you experience it?  

Jesus said, “I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you”. With this verse in mind, what should we be doing today for those afflicted by Covid 19? Can you see a way in which you might model Jesus’ actions today?  

Listen again to the passage. What is Peter’s contribution to the story? Listen particularly to his words…    

Finally, look back at the whole story, and gather all your feelings into a prayer to Jesus as he washes your feet.  

We adore you, O Christ and we bless you because by Your Holy Cross, you have redeemed the world.