Holy Thursday's Clean Feet

Tonight at this evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper we hear of blood – our source of life. When we shed blood, we weaken and risk death when that bleeding is severe.  Blood courses through our veins and arteries and through our hearts bringing oxygen to our brains where our minds are located – likely even our souls. 

In Exodus we’re told lamb’s blood protected the firstborn of the Jews from the LORD who struck down the first born of the Egyptians as judgment on all the gods of Egypt.  This story very well might have been the very early biblical writer’s way of condemning sacrifices of children and shifting to animals – such as lambs – for those sacrifices to the gods.  That makes sense; otherwise, this Exodus depiction of the God of Israel – our God – would make God punishing and cruel siding with one nation over another.  That is not true even though many people believe it to be so, even today and in the United States.  That belief can and has led to horrific spilling of blood throughout our world’s history – nation against nation.

In first Corinthians we shift from spilling blood to drinking blood.  According to Paul, after supper Jesus said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood.  Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me."  Our psalm then sings: “It is our blessing cup – a communion with the blood of Christ.”

Consider that Jesus always turned things upside down; he always said and did the unexpected. For example, contact with blood was a ritual impurity for Jews. That was a very big deal.  Here is Jesus, a Jew, telling other Jews to drink his blood.  Jesus made blood holy – and even a way to contact the divine.  Jesus championed this radical and courageous change in behavior he wanted everyone to follow.

Inviting us to drink wine as his blood is his invitation for us to live in communion with his blood and with the blood of every person whose blood has been unjustly shed on this earth. Jesus sought justice for the poor, the dispossessed, and persecuted.  Much blood was shed in Jesus’ time and long before that. This solidarity Jesus commands has profound meaning we all should take to heart from which our blood is pumped and from where we symbolically say love abides.

Most of us haven’t thought about this solidarity and union, but we should including how we should react to the Body of Christ – our Eucharist we receive at Mass.  It’s another way for us to remember and show sympathy and empathy for those who suffer from harm and injustice, lack of food and even love.  Our Eucharist has many profound meanings especially for those of us in this church tonight who suffer physically, spiritually and/or emotionally.

Tonight’s Gospel speaks to sympathy, empathy, and sharing.  To wash someone’s feet is to put them first. When we put other peoples’ needs before our own, we symbolically wash their feet.  Now some

of those feet are quite dirty and frankly just stink – meaning their owners’ needs are great.  Perhaps their overwhelming need is to be forgiven for some offense, real or imagined.  Maybe we are the ones with those unsightly feet, so we are the ones who seek forgiveness.  When forgiveness is given and received, the dirt is washed away. We are cleansed.

Now there is another Gospel passage with great meaning, but it tends to be overlooked.  It reads:“Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘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.’ For he knew who would betray him; for this reason, he said, ‘Not all of you are clean."

This passage strikes at the heart of the meaning “to be clean.” Jesus was speaking of Judas – the one who would betray him. This should bring into our every-day conversations the subject of trust and betrayal.  Holy Week especially is the time to talk about cleanliness and personal integrity.  It’s time to give confession.  The Sacrament of Penance helps us wash our own feet, like a forgiving soap – to wash away the dirt that masks the good within all of us.

Who have we betrayed lately through lies and deception?  Whose trust have we betrayed? Betrayal put Judas dead center in Dantes’ final circle of Hell described in his classic book, Inferno.  Not a good place to be.  Unclean feet to the fire get plenty hot and burned.

This Holy Week it’s time for all of us to come clean by reconciling ourselves to God and to each other.   In this way we prepare for Easter with a clean heart and mind, and feet and hands as well.

I end by reminding those men and women – young and old – who are about to have their feet washed, make sure the washing is more than skin deep.   Let its meaning penetrate straight to your minds, hearts, and even your souls.

Deacon David Pierce