By Sr Lini Sheeja MSC –
Washing the Feet
Jesus bents His knees and stoops down to wash 12 feet. One can fight all his battles on his knees and Jesus fights all our battles as He bents down on this day to wash the feet of His chosen ones. Jesus, who spent whole night in prayer before choosing the 12 Apostles, goes to spend this night in prayer after washing the feet of these 12 disciples. Jesus, who accompanied these 12 disciples for 3 years, Jesus who taught them to pray continues to teach them the humility and service as He stoops down to wash. God who created everything by Word, bents down in service!
Master Stoops Down
The Holy Mother Church celebrates Maundy Thursday today and the word Maundy means “the ceremony of washing the feet of the vulnerable, outcasts, sinners, and rejected”, commemorating Jesus’ washing of His disciples’ feet. Jesus knew that Judas would betray Him, but still He stoops down before him. Jesus knew Peter would deny Him three times, but still He stoops down before Him. Jesus knew His disciples would flee from Him during His time of trials and suffering, but still He stoops down before them. Jesus stooped down to raise the little girl who was dead. Jesus stooped down to raise Lazarus from the dead. Jesus Christ who stooped down during His earthly ministry as Prophet, Priest and King continues to stoop down before His beloved disciples as He pours water into a basin and washes their feet.
God who stooped before the disciples on this day to wash their feet continued to stoop down as He gave up His Spirit on the cross for the redemption of the fallen humanity, “When He had received the drink, Jesus said, it is finished. With that, He bowed His head and gave up His Spirit” (Jn 19:30). He stooped down from the cross to drink the bitter vinegar when He was thirsty, “A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips” (Jn 19:29). And this is our God who continues to accompany us, who continues to teach us the value of service, love and humility and asks to stoop down.
Master becomes Servant
Jesus loved His disciples to the end and nothing could prevent Him in loving them unconditionally in spite of knowing their denial and betrayal that would happen in His crucial moments. Jesus, to whom all things were given by the Father, gets up from the table to become a servant. Jesus teaches us the greatest lesson of all time, to rise in order to become a servant. “Though He was in the form of God, Jesus did not count equality with God, a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men” (Phil 2:6-7). God who was born in a manger by humbling Himself continues to humble Himself at the Last Supper before His disciples as He laid aside His outer garments. Did Jesus ever know that the soldiers would remove His outer garments in few hours of time before His crucifixion at Golgotha, that He Himself lays aside His outer garments at the Last Supper?
Master’s Greatest Command
“You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you” (Jn 13:13-15). Jesus, who lived with His beloved disciples for 3 years leaves them a greatest example and gives great message just before He could depart. To wash one another’s feet means to stoop down, to give up, to surrender, to humble and all the more to give oneself in love and service just as the Master did. Teacher did it and so the students; Master did it and so the followers; Redeemer did it and so the believers. After the death and resurrection of Jesus the beloved disciples were strengthened to do what the Master showed. In this 21st century we are called to do the same as we are baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Our mission here on earth is nothing, but to become mere servants. May the Spirit of the Lord move us and guide us on this journey of becoming servants. Festal Blessings of Maundy Thursday!
Sr Lini Sheeja MSC, belongs to the Congregation of Missionary Sisters of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus. She worked as the team member of Child-line, BOSCO Bangalore. She served as the Chief-Editor for Prison Voice, a national monthly magazine and she authored a book named, Prison Ministry: The Dreamers’ Mission in which she invites the dreamers to join hands together to do wonders for the broken humanity.
Thank you for your inspiring meditations which are much appreciated.