Holy Thursday
Feet. Wash my feet huh? And I image a lot of you are sitting there
saying, “No way.” You know but you
couldn’t have gotten here tonight unless your two feet had brought you here,
right? Think of where you have been so
far this day with your two feet. Did you
stand in line somewhere at a store waiting to be served by someone who in turn
was standing on their feet serving you?
Maybe you were the clerk who was serving somebody else. Did you stand at the kitchen sink today or at
the table and prepare a meal for your family?
Did your feet take you to work now you’re sitting here tonight and
they’re tired? Maybe you wish someone
would just rub them, massage them, but not wash them. Did your feet take you to a nursing home, to
a hospital or somewhere where you could care for the sick? But as you stood, perhaps looking at
somebody else did you stand in judgement of them, or did you stand in humility
and reverence of who they were, a child of God, just as you and I are?
Oh yeah, they’re ugly little
things at times too aren’t they? Corns
and bunions and everything. Maybe that’s
why we’re so afraid to take our shoes and socks off and say don’t touch
mine. A lot of people are very squeamish
too because they are ticklish, you know, and they don’t want anybody to touch
them that way either.
But why is it on this, one
of the most sacred nights of the church’s liturgy, the church has us read the
gospel of
Notice Jesus in that gospel
said, “As I have done for you, as I have modeled for you, so must you do.” He didn’t say it would be nice to serve one
another if you’ve got time. I would be
good to serve one another if there is nothing else to do. Wouldn’t it be great if you would help one
another if you’re going to get a return.
No, Jesus’ service is a self
giving, coming from the very essence of His being. So is the Eucharist.
The gift of the Eucharist to
you and to me tonight. This is what we
commemorate, that Holy Thursday 2000 years ago.
It is also the institution of priesthood because Jesus gave to us, His
priests, the power, the authority to affect the Eucharist. But He gave to all of us, regardless of our
status in life the model of service.
Whether you’re going to sit
at one of those chairs and have someone pour water over your foot or not is
irrelevant. If you choose to do it,
fine. If you choose not to do it,
fine. But don’t sit and gawk at the
others who are having their feet washed.
When we do this simple little act tonight, whoever may choose to do it,
all of us, whether we are doing it or not, use it as the occasion to think of
all the people who have served you in your lifetime. It would take more than a few moments
wouldn’t it.? Could you image all those
people who have touched your life? Who
have stood by you in a moment of hardship or difficulty or crisis? People who have stood with you to give you
encouragement? People who have stood
with you in a moment of laughter and joy, who celebrated with you? Whether they are living or deceased, image
all those people who God put into your life.
They have served you. Be grateful
for them and then take it a step further.
Think of all the people perhaps whom you have tried to served in your
lifetime, whether they are living or deceased.
Whose lives have you touched with your giving? With your encouragement? With your thoughtfulness, your patience, your
kindness, your forgiveness, your mercy?
How have you served somebody else?
You may not even know who they are, but thank God that He gave you and
me the humility, the courage and the gentleness of heart to serve somebody
else.
Then tonight in this
Eucharist, pray, pray, pray for that continued humility to served one
another. The call to worship tonight
must go forward with the call to serve with a deep humility, with a deep
gentleness of heart.
This is what we celebrate
tonight in such a beautiful, powerful way.
Jesus giving to you and to me. We
give thanks for what Jesus gives us and we in turn serve the needs of one
another as Jesus modeled for us.
So at this time that’s what
we are going to do. We have many
stations throughout the church for those who wish to participate. Choose a place. You can wash, pour water over someone else’s
foot, wrap the towel around it. If you
want to have yours done, fine, wonderful.
If you want to do 10 people or 100 people, fine, wonderful. Maybe give somebody else a chance to serve
and be humble it too. But maybe close
your eyes at one time or another too and again think if all those who have
served you. Image them. Put them on the altar. They’re here with us tonight.
Secondly too ask God for
that continued grace to serve as Jesus did.