Maundy Thursday 2010: Love Each Other

John 13:1-17, 31b-35     Before the Passover celebration, Jesus knew that his hour had come to leave this world and return to his Father. He had loved his disciples during his ministry on earth, and now he loved them to the very end. It was time for supper, and the devil had already prompted Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus.  Jesus knew that the Father had given him authority over everything and that he had come from God and would return to God.  So he got up from the table, took off his robe, wrapped a towel around his waist, and poured water into a basin. Then he began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he had around him.   When Jesus came to Simon Peter, Peter said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”  Jesus replied, “You don’t understand now what I am doing, but someday you will.”     “No,” Peter protested, “you will never ever wash my feet!"   Jesus replied, “Unless I wash you, you won’t belong to me.”    Simon Peter exclaimed, “Then wash my hands and head as well, Lord, not just my feet!”     Jesus replied, “A person who has bathed all over does not need to wash, except for the feet, to be entirely clean. And you disciples are clean, but not all of you.”  For Jesus knew who would betray him. That is what he meant when he said, “Not all of you are clean.”     After washing their feet, he put on his robe again and sat down and asked, “Do you understand what I was doing?  You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you are right, because that’s what I am.  And since I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash each others feet.  I have given you an example to follow. Do as I have done to you.  I tell you the truth, slaves are not greater than their master. Nor is the messenger more important than the one who sends the message. Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them.     As soon as Judas left the room, Jesus said, “The time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory, and God will be glorified because of him.  And since God receives glory because of the Son, he will soon give glory to the Son.  Dear children, I will be with you only a little longer. And as I told the Jewish leaders, you will search for me, but you can’t come where I am going.  

So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other.  Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”

Context:  As we move deeper into Holy Week ... we turn to the Gospel of John.  We will stay with John through the First Sunday after Pentecost.  John's Gospel is different.  It was written much later than the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke) and it has a much more theological (study of God) and mystical (experience of God) feel to it with its vivid imagery.  Many of the "details" differ and are used to make a point rather than tell us what actually happened.

The reading for Maundy Thursday takes us into the Upper Room. The disciples will not be sitting upright at a high and proper table like we do.  They will be reclining casually around a low table.  We strain and stretch our necks to look over Jesus' shoulder.   As he washes the disciples feet, they protest his sense of servanthood ... he is their master teacher and their leader.  At the end of this holy and sensual (meaning to appeal to the senses) ritual, Jesus gives us a new commandment:  Love Each Other.  The word "maundy" comes from the Latin word mande, which means "mandate" or "command," and arises from Jesus words in this passage.  As the journey heats up, Jesus sears this message of humble and communal love into their minds and hearts.  Jesus tells us how to recognize his followers:  LOVE.   

Going Deeper:  This passage cries out for savoring the imagery of this ritual of foot washing!

Reread the first set of bold printed verses as if you were one of the servants watching the scene unfold from the shadows where you let your curiosity challenge and lead you ...  What do you see?    As Jesus gets up and begins to prepare himself by removing his robe how does he move?  How different does he look as he wraps the towel around him as a servant?  What expressions do you see on the disciples' faces as they realize what he is doing?  What happens between Jesus and Peter?  How is Peter moving ... toward Jesus or away from Jesus?  What is the expression on Jesus' face?  Does his expression change when he talks of the one who is not "clean?"   What else do you see?      What do you hear?  As you go about your work, what does the discussion sound like that is coming from the table?  Would you characterize this little group as happy or sad when you consider the noise level?  What happens to the small conversations when Jesus rises?  What do you hear now that the voices are stilled?  How does Peter sound with his outburst?  Is he angry or confused or ...?  How would you feel if this happened to you?  Can you hear the water as it splashes back into the basin?   Does this have a calming effect or are you beginning to feel anxiety emerge within you?   What else do you hear?

Reread the first set of bold printed verses as if you were one of the disciples watching the scene unfold from your place at the end of the table ... where you let your mind wander and remember and lead you ...  What do you smell?     What is cooking?  Does the smell of food make you hungry?  Or are you too excited to eat?  What else do you smell?     What do you taste?     Can you still taste the dusty road you've been traveling? Does the taste of wine wash away that dry taste and satisfy your thirst?  What else do you taste?

Reread the first set of bold printed verses as if you were Peter, front and center in the scene with Jesus where you let your emotions run rampant to help you understand and to lead you ...  What do you feel?     As you recline at the table, Jesus comes to you and you protest!  No!  Why don't you want Jesus to touch your feet? Jesus is so patient as he looks into your soul and argues with you ... As he pours the water over your feet, how does it feel?  Is it hot, cold, soothing, shocking ...?   As he reaches out to dry them with the towel wrapped around his waist, can you feel the material?  Is it scratchy, like burlap or smooth, like cotton?    What do you want to reach out and touch?  Who do you want to reach out and touch?  

Pondering:  This passage is about learning to serve humbly, but it is also about loving others as we serve.  Are you on the journey?  Are you serving others out of a deep sense of calling?  Are you growing in love? 

Praying: 

Clip Art courtesy of the General Board of Global Ministries, United Methodist Church 

Later in the evening Jesus and the disciples leave the upper room and go to the Mount of Olives where Jesus is arrested after being betrayed by Judas ... In the Synoptic Gospels, Jesus and the disciples have a long time of solitary prayer in the Garden (depicted in clip art, above).  However, in the book of John, Jesus prays together with the disciples in the upper room rather than alone in the Garden.  Read and meditate on this prayer that emerges from Jesus' prayer for all disciples throughout the ages, found in John 17 ...

Holy One, the time has come ... once more we travel with Jesus to the Garden during Holy Week.  Help us to glorify you as Jesus did.  Thank you for eternal life.  We are blessed to know you through Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth.  Help us to complete the work you give us to do.  We have always been yours, we are yours today, and we will always be yours.  We know everything we have is a good gift from you.  We walk around in this world but we follow you.  Holy God, protect us by the name of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit so that we are united as one with You.  In Christ we received your Word.  Keep us safe from all evil for we belong to you, not to the world.  Make us holy by your truth.  Teach us your word, which is truth.  Send us into the world as a holy sacrifice just as Christ was sent and made holy by your truth.  Make us one, just as the holy trinity is one.  May we always be one with you, Holy One so the world will believe that Jesus was sent by you to show us the way of love and unity.  Help us to love each other as you love us.  Righteous One, the world doesn’t know you, but we know you. . Send us forth ... Not our will, but yours be done.  Amen.

See my reflection blog for my original poetry and artwork for Maundy Thursday ...