Washing Feet with Humble Care
“Jesus answered, ‘You do not know what I am doing, but later you will understand.’”
The Last Supper dynamics are as intense as they are complex. There is a meal in which Jesus uses the bread and the cup as symbols of his suffering and death. Jesus uses the meal as the occasion to call out Judas as his betrayer. Further, Peter’s arrogant statement of support prompts Jesus to prophesy that Peter will deny him not once but three times. Uff da! You think you’ve had a few uncomfortable holiday family gatherings?!
Jesus took another action at his Last Supper that shocked those dining with him. The Messiah, the King of the Jews, took the pose of a servant or enslaved person and began washing his disciples’ feet. Ironically, Peter tries to deny Jesus’ attempt to wash his feet. “Peter said to him, ‘You will never wash my feet.’ Jesus answered, ‘Unless I wash you, you have no share with me.” The bread and the cup, announcing Peter’s denials, Judas’ betrayal, and the foot-washing, are all woven together, teaching the apostles that the foundation of Jesus’ ministry, which they must continue, is a humble faith in service to others.
Throughout Jesus’ ministry, he focused on the needs of the poor, disenfranchised, and the enslaved. Jesus uses the symbols of breaking bread and pouring wine into the cup to represent his body broken and his blood shed. Jesus’ ministry was sacrificial, fundamentally for the powerless. Then, taking the role of servant/enslaved person, Jesus becomes lowly, washing the apostles’ feet, modeling what their ministry should experience. At one level, the apostles were uncomfortable that the King of Kings was acting as their servant. On another level, the apostles were uncomfortable with the symbol of ministry Jesus expected them to emulate.
Today, picture yourself sitting at the Last Supper table. Imagine Jesus taking your sandals off and attempting to wash your feet, as if he were your slave. How would you respond? Now that Jesus symbolically washed your feet, how can you wash others’ feet? In what ways can you serve those who have less than you? Perhaps you find a mission in your church or in the community that reaches out to those in need. Invite others to join you in caring for others. People should see your faith in action. As long as your heart remains humble, your actions will be received as humble servanthood. The faithful grew because they saw Jesus and the disciples at work. It is right for others to see your commitment to others as well.
