Ex. 12:1-8,
11-14; 1 Cor. 11:23-26; Jn. 13:1-15
We are celebrating Holy Thursday.
This Feast solemnly commemorates the institution of the Holy Eucharist
and the sacrament of holy orders. But what remains vivid in the mind of
the Christians and non-Christians is Jesus washing of the feet of his
disciples.
The Old Testament references (Genesis 18:4; 19:2; 24:32; 43:24; Judges 19:21; 1 Samuel 25:41; 2 Samuel 11:8; Song of
Solomon 5:3; Psalms 58:10)
show that the washing of the feet was the first act on entering the tent or
house after a journey. The Orientals wore only sandals, and this washing was
refreshing as well as cleanly. In the case of ordinary people, the host
furnished the water, and the guests washed their own feet, but in the richer
houses, the washing was done by a slave. It was looked upon as the lowliest of
all services (1 Samuel 25:41).
Jesus performed for His disciples
this lowliest service. But the disciples could not comprehend the meaning of
Jesus action. They were familiar with power struggle and warfare. For them a
leader was one who exerted his power.
Warfare appears
frequently in the Old Testament and represents a special category of violence.
The account of Israel’s conquest of Canaan and the order to put residents of
the land under the ban (to “utterly destroy” them) was a much celebrated story among the Israelites. In response to
the violent acts of foreign nations, however, the prophets in turn used
rhetoric that may seem to encourage or promote violence. Like the Prophets, the
Psalms display violence both in descriptions of actions by powerful oppressors
and in the speech of those who call on God to bring vengeance on those
oppressors.
Violence was part of
the contemporary history. The disciples and contemporaries of Jesus were well
aware of the practice and violence in the Roman Empire. Many were killed by
their own siblings or cousins in the pursuit of power. Every Ptolemy son or daughter had their own
entourage, their treasuries, their own sources of power, but killed each other
with impunity and regularity.
Against this
background of violence Jesus teaches his disciples a new lesson. A lesson of
Humility. He teaches them that power is not to be associated with violence but
with integrity. His act of humility
actually cleansed their hearts of selfish ambition, killed their pride, and
taught them the lesson of love.
Our world is not
different from that of the Disciples. We are living in a war torn society.
The media concentrates on crimes and atrocities. There is great struggle
everywhere to establish ones supremacy. Nations try to exert their
supremacy by amassing by weapons capable of massive destruction. Some try
to gain economic supremacy. Some try their power in the sea and space. In
a different degree it is reflected among societies and individuals. Even it has
found its way to the family. Father and mother try to prove who earns
more, who knows more, who is more popular and who is more capable. In this
struggle to establish themselves they forget values of humility, they miss
the joy of surrendering before the loved ones, and they fail to enjoy
little things of life.
The message of Jesus lesson
of love is not familiar to our society and our children. It should begin to
radiate from every Christian family. We should be humble to accept the ideas of
others, to appreciate the actions of our children, to encourage the initiatives
of our comrades and to recognize the potential of our subordinates.
The symbolic act of
Jesus washing the feet of His disciples has been followed as a great
lesson by the whole world for centuries after Jesus because it was the sum
total of his teaching. The Kings commanded people to be part of the triumphal
processions but people flocked of their to be part of Jesus triumphal
procession on Palm Sunday. When the kings took care to dress in the
best, People took of their best clothes to spread before Jesus. When the kings
exhibited their booty, the crowds placed everything before Jesus. So in every
sense the life of Jesus was a great success, as a leader and as a teacher. Now on
this Holy Thursday Jesus commands us to follow him literally and be true
leaders of His church.
Bessie Stanley wrote
the following verse as what constitutes success.
He has achieved success who has lived
well,
laughed often and loved much;
who has gained the respect of intelligent men
and the love of little children;
who has filled his niche and accomplished his task;
who has left the world better than he found it,
whether by an improved poppy, a perfect poem, or a rescued soul;
who has never lacked appreciation of earth’s beauty
or failed to express it;
who has always looked for the best in others
and given them the best he had;
whose life was an inspiration;
whose memory a benediction.
laughed often and loved much;
who has gained the respect of intelligent men
and the love of little children;
who has filled his niche and accomplished his task;
who has left the world better than he found it,
whether by an improved poppy, a perfect poem, or a rescued soul;
who has never lacked appreciation of earth’s beauty
or failed to express it;
who has always looked for the best in others
and given them the best he had;
whose life was an inspiration;
whose memory a benediction.
May Jesus help us to make our life
an inspiration and our memory a benediction.
Satish