Loving Waters
This evening we worship in observance of Maundy Thursday – the night of the Last Supper. When Jesus and his closest disciples gathered in the Upper Room for the Passover supper, when Jesus washed the feet of his followers, when he told them to remember him in the bread and wine of communion, and when his betrayal at the hands of Judas was completed.
The word itself, “Maundy,” is derived from the Latin word, “mandatum” which means “mandate” or “mandatory.” This holy service of commemoration is called this because this is the night that Jesus gives us a new mandate – a new commandment: that we love one another. Just as Christ has loved us, so must we love one another.
This love is expressed to us as Jesus invites us into the Upper Room, as he washes our feet, as he bids us to share the bread and the cup in his name.
The scriptures talk of Christ washing the disciples’ feet, in an act of service and humility. It is a display of love and hospitality that was known throughout the ancient world. As dusty feet walked dusty roads, the host of a house would offer a basin and towel to clean the feet as a sign of welcome. For an honored guest, a host would get down, lowering himself before their guest, and washing their feet themselves.
These days our roads tend to be far less dusty than the dirt and mud of ancient Jerusalem. And our feet are usually covered in socks and shoes, and not as prone to getting dusty as the sandal-clad Israelites. The custom of foot-washing has largely gone by the wayside, except in some church services.
Yet we can still see the love present in the ritual of washing. These days especially we can’t walk down the street, enter a restroom, or turn on the tv, with being constantly reminded about the importance of washing our hands. Twenty seconds each time, as often as we can, certainly each time we leave the house and definitely when we come back in.
It’s a hygiene issue. It’s a public safety issue. It’s a way to help slow the spread of the coronavirus.
But it’s also a love issue.
Why are people so concerned about handwashing? Because we’re afraid of catching the virus ourselves. But also, because so many people already have it and don’t know it – but still take it as a precaution to avoid spreading it to others. When we wash our hands these days, we’re not just wiping them of the dust and dirt of the day. We’re doing it because we love the people around us. We love them enough to take the time – 3, 4, 5, 6 times a day or more – in the hopes that if we are among the unknown carriers – that maybe that doorknob we touch won’t be a threat to the next person who uses it. That maybe the grandfather with a history of heart problems or the mother with a respiratory ailment won’t end up in the hospital because our hands happened to brush against the wrong subway seat or pick up the wrong bank pen or what have you.
We wash out of love. To stay healthy for our families and our friends and our neighbors. To keep them healthy from us. We wash so that we can come sooner to the day of welcoming when we can meet in each others’ homes, gather around a common table to share a meal, or come to church and shake our friends’ hands.
Jesus commanded us to love each other. Which is difficult to do in these days when we can’t show love in the ways we’ve always been taught how. But that command still stands. So let us love by doing what we can to stay safe, keeping our friends and our neighbors healthy, and trusting in our God who will lead us through these dark times into a new day of hope and welcome. Amen.
Let us pray:
Lord God,
On this night of your betrayal, in these times of uncertainty, we call on your holy name. Show your love to us, we pray. Bring us through times of pain and into your days of new welcome. Bind all your people together in the love and kindness of our Redeemer, Jesus Christ. Amen.
This evening we worship in observance of Maundy Thursday – the night of the Last Supper. When Jesus and his closest disciples gathered in the Upper Room for the Passover supper, when Jesus washed the feet of his followers, when he told them to remember him in the bread and wine of communion, and when his betrayal at the hands of Judas was completed.
The word itself, “Maundy,” is derived from the Latin word, “mandatum” which means “mandate” or “mandatory.” This holy service of commemoration is called this because this is the night that Jesus gives us a new mandate – a new commandment: that we love one another. Just as Christ has loved us, so must we love one another.
This love is expressed to us as Jesus invites us into the Upper Room, as he washes our feet, as he bids us to share the bread and the cup in his name.
The scriptures talk of Christ washing the disciples’ feet, in an act of service and humility. It is a display of love and hospitality that was known throughout the ancient world. As dusty feet walked dusty roads, the host of a house would offer a basin and towel to clean the feet as a sign of welcome. For an honored guest, a host would get down, lowering himself before their guest, and washing their feet themselves.
These days our roads tend to be far less dusty than the dirt and mud of ancient Jerusalem. And our feet are usually covered in socks and shoes, and not as prone to getting dusty as the sandal-clad Israelites. The custom of foot-washing has largely gone by the wayside, except in some church services.
Yet we can still see the love present in the ritual of washing. These days especially we can’t walk down the street, enter a restroom, or turn on the tv, with being constantly reminded about the importance of washing our hands. Twenty seconds each time, as often as we can, certainly each time we leave the house and definitely when we come back in.
It’s a hygiene issue. It’s a public safety issue. It’s a way to help slow the spread of the coronavirus.
But it’s also a love issue.
Why are people so concerned about handwashing? Because we’re afraid of catching the virus ourselves. But also, because so many people already have it and don’t know it – but still take it as a precaution to avoid spreading it to others. When we wash our hands these days, we’re not just wiping them of the dust and dirt of the day. We’re doing it because we love the people around us. We love them enough to take the time – 3, 4, 5, 6 times a day or more – in the hopes that if we are among the unknown carriers – that maybe that doorknob we touch won’t be a threat to the next person who uses it. That maybe the grandfather with a history of heart problems or the mother with a respiratory ailment won’t end up in the hospital because our hands happened to brush against the wrong subway seat or pick up the wrong bank pen or what have you.
We wash out of love. To stay healthy for our families and our friends and our neighbors. To keep them healthy from us. We wash so that we can come sooner to the day of welcoming when we can meet in each others’ homes, gather around a common table to share a meal, or come to church and shake our friends’ hands.
Jesus commanded us to love each other. Which is difficult to do in these days when we can’t show love in the ways we’ve always been taught how. But that command still stands. So let us love by doing what we can to stay safe, keeping our friends and our neighbors healthy, and trusting in our God who will lead us through these dark times into a new day of hope and welcome. Amen.
Let us pray:
Lord God,
On this night of your betrayal, in these times of uncertainty, we call on your holy name. Show your love to us, we pray. Bring us through times of pain and into your days of new welcome. Bind all your people together in the love and kindness of our Redeemer, Jesus Christ. Amen.