Sermon – Maundy Thursday

April 8, 2004 St. Barnabas, Monmouth Junction, NJ

Exodus 12:1-14a

Psalm 78: 14-20, 23-25

1 Cor. 11:23-32

John 13:1-15

For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you.

Feet are very interesting. If you asked someone, they probably would say that they don’t like their feet. My feet are not considered very attractive, but I try to take good care of them. This morning in the shower when I looked down I laughed. I had my monthly manicure and pedicure yesterday. I always wear something plain on my finger nails, but my toe nails are different. I can be crazier there. Barbara Cawthorn Crafton, an Episcopal priest in our Diocese and author, writes a daily reflective e-mail. She once wrote about the fact female clergy can wear plain polish on their fingernails, because everyone sees them. But, that underneath we can be freer in our personal expression. Just for your information, I have never worn loud pink polish on anything, until now. That may be too much information, but you will understand shortly if you don’t already.

Upon recommendation of my “foot doctor”, I try to remember to wear shoes most of the time. That isn’t easy. I grew up in the south and we often didn’t wear shoes. Probably my childhood running around bare footed is about as close as I can get to Biblical times. Jesus and His followers walked a lot. That was the only way I recall reading Jesus traveled, except 2 times. Once, in his Mother’s arms as they fled to Egypt and last Sunday when he rode a colt into Jerusalem.

Foot washing is mentioned in several places in the Bible as part of hospitality, when someone entered your home. But, here Jesus wasn’t doing this out of hospitality.

This is more than that. He is reversing the normal practice and expectations illustrating two things: humble service and symbolically washing away our sins. His example is telling us to place ourselves in the position of doing something for someone else as he did. This is placing ourselves below others. This is loving and forgiving others, that you would lower yourself to clean them. This is about limitless self giving and forgiveness from Christian love of ourselves and others.

This night has been part of the Christian tradition, since the 17 Synod of Toledo in 694. The church knows we need continual examples and messages about how we should behave as Christians. How we should love. Our example always is Christ. Tonight, tomorrow, Sunday, and always.

Christ loved his followers. This gospel told us he understood His origin and His destiny. In this action and message, He is trying to prepare them for the fact that they are going to have to be willing to love others as much as he loved them, to do for others as much as he did for them, and to humble themselves as much as he was going to. He knew “the rest of the story”, just like we do. We know that Sunday is Easter. We know that Christ died on that cross to wash away our sins. But, each year we live through the steps leading to the cross in order to see the light on the other side of that cross.

I am so happy that the Bible records Peter opening his big mouth, because Peter is “us”. Peter is every person. He seldom gets it, always wants more, and even denies Christ. Just like you and me. It has taken me years to just start getting the magnitude of Christ’s love for me and beginning to accept that love. It has taken years for me to remember to give thanks for what I have and knowing I have never needed all that I have received. It has taken years to understand that I too have denied Christ in my actions and words and sometimes non-actions.

Most of us, who are here, don’t do these things in big ways, but I have learned that life is not about the big things. It is about the day-to-day things we do or don’t do. It is about following Christ’s example each day. It’s about loving others, all others, as much as Christ loved us.

Let me read from Forward Day by Day, what the author says about this action. (Feb. – April, 2004, last paragraph page 69)

Tonight, it is about humbling ourselves, it is about washing away our sins, it is taking off our shoes and socks. It is letting someone wash our feet. And it is sitting below someone else and washing their feet. It’s not an easy thing to do. This is about living as a Christian from the ground up.

Christ didn’t tell his followers that it would be easy. And it wasn’t. That’s why he went to the cross for those with him then and for those with him now. By that action he told us, I have set an example that you also should do as I have done to you. Amen.

Deacon Barbara A.D. Jensen