1 Before the Festival of Passover, Jesus knew that his time had come to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them fully.
2 Jesus and his disciples were sharing the evening meal. The devil had already provoked Judas, Simon Iscariot’s son, to betray Jesus. 3 Jesus knew the Father had given everything into his hands and that he had come from God and was returning to God. 4 So he got up from the table and took off his robes. Picking up a linen towel, he tied it around his waist. 5 Then he poured water into a washbasin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he was wearing. 6 When Jesus came to Simon Peter, Peter said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”
7 Jesus replied, “You don’t understand what I’m doing now, but you will understand later.”
8 “No!” Peter said. “You will never wash my feet!”
Jesus replied, “Unless I wash you, you won’t have a place with me.”
9 Simon Peter said, “Lord, not only my feet but also my hands and my head!”
10 Jesus responded, “Those who have bathed need only to have their feet washed, because they are completely clean. You disciples are clean, but not every one of you.” 11 He knew who would betray him. That’s why he said, “Not every one of you is clean.”
12 After he washed the disciples’ feet, he put on his robes and returned to his place at the table. He said to them, “Do you know what I’ve done for you? 13 You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you speak correctly, because I am. 14 If I, your Lord and teacher, have washed your feet, you too must wash each other’s feet. 15 I have given you an example: Just as I have done, you also must do.
Reflection
I can only imagine the emotions that Jesus must have been feeling when he sat down with his disciples, his friends, to have what he knew would be his last meal in this world. Jesus loved these men, he had taught them, traveled with them, served with them, cried and laughed with them. He knew he was going to be leaving them soon to return to the Father. He also knew that one of them, Judas, was about to betray him, and that another, Peter, was going to deny ever knowing him later that night. Despite this, Jesus decided he was going to spend some of his last moments with them serving them, showing his love for every one of them, Judas and Peter included, and teaching them one last lesson about humility, grace, and love.
by Manny Estevez
For Pondering and Prayer
How do you show love to others? To God? To yourself?
The humble and loving example that Jesus sets for us is not any easy one to live up to and expressing our love to others, to God, and ourselves may look different to different people. However, a way I think we can show love to others is by feeding them.
My wife Andrea is a terrific cook and I know one of the ways she shows her love for our family is by providing us delicious meals to eat. Feeding a family is not an easy task and I know constantly coming up with meal ideas, doing the grocery shopping, and preparing meals can be burdensome. So, a way that I have tried to return the love Andrea gives our family is to take the chore of grocery shopping and cooking away from her from time to time. By doing this I hope I am showing her how much I love and appreciate her. In a way, I also feel like doing this is showing my love to God, as I try and care and love the family God has gifted me with. Similarly, when I am doing something that helps express the love I have for my family, my heart is filled and I am in turn loving myself.
Prayer: God, it can be difficult to find the right words or actions to express our gratitude for what you did for us on the cross and the love you give us every day. As we reflect on the love you showed your disciples and the example you provide for us, we ask that your spirit gives us the strength, courage, and compassion to love each other, ourselves, and you as fully as you love us. Amen.
