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The focus of Holy Thursday is the symbol of love. Think of a symbol of love that is most important to you: a gift, a memory, or a photo. A new song on the Christian radio stations is called “Walking her home.” It speaks of a man who realizes that he is in love after his first date with a girl while he is “holding her hand and walking her home.” The theme is repeated after she gives birth to their first child. While he is sleeping beside her, holding her tight, holding her hand, and he thinks of the first time he was walking her home. The theme repeats until he is in a nursing home. The staff is asking each other, “Do we tell him that the end is near for his wife?” They check on her and find him in bed with her, holding her tight, holding her hand, walking her home.” What is the symbol of love that is most precious to you?
In Greek there are three words for love: eros (passion), philos (sibling love), agape (true friendship). Hebrew has several words for love. When they spoke of God’s love for His people they used the word, “hesad.” It expressed covenant love that was analogous to marriage. The Passover Supper was one of the supreme signs of God’s love for His people. There were four cups of blessing during the Passover. After the first cup there were ceremonial washing of hands. This is probably when Jesus washed their feet. The third course was the lamb and the unleavened bread followed by the “cup of blessing.” (I Corinthians 10:15 refers to the cup of blessing that we offer in the Eucharist.) This is where Jesus added the words of consecration, “This is my body… This is my blood.” After this Psalms 114 to 118 were sung before the fourth cup. In the Last Supper there is no fourth cup. The crucifixion is the fourth cup.
Tonight we celebrate the symbol of love Jesus left for us! Tonight we remember the institution of the priesthood, the gift of the Eucharist, and this “great mandatum (commandment) to service and love.” For this reason we have just witnessed the washing of the feet of the people of our parish who represent our R.C.I.A. class, Pastoral Council, Staff, Adult Enrichment, Religious Education ministry, Youth Ministry, Music, Outreach, Liturgy, and Fellowship.
For your prayer time this Holy Thursday I invite you to meditate on the “two washings” we witness: tonight’s and tomorrow’s. Let’s work backwards. Tomorrow Pilate will use the symbol of a basin, a towel, and a water pitcher to symbolize that he “is innocent of this man’s blood.”
We look back on this occasion two thousand years ago but remember that its significance is very near to us now. Do we know what it is to wash our hands of another human being? Do we remember dismissing ourselves of the care of another? Surely we do! We did not perform some public display like Pilate. We were much more inconspicuous. I am found guilty by the hand washing of Pilate because I too have failed in a responsibility or duty to another. This washing sign haunts us as it recurs day after day. It speaks of the spirit of avoidance, of failure to care, of neglect of justice and lack of love.
This is stark contrast to symbol of the “Washing of the Feet.” “Jesus had come from God and was going to God. All things had been given to Him by the Father.” Do we really understand these words? What we can see and understand is the picture of Jesus with a basin, a towel, and a water pitcher, doing the most humble domestic duty. We are called this evening to meditate on the disparity between these two washings. With Jesus there is no evading, dismissal, desertion or rejection. The focus is one of humility, acceptance, service, and love. Why? He did it in order to accomplish a magnificent purpose. This act prefigures Good Friday’s act of cleansing us by the blood of the cross. We remember tonight that He did for us what we could not do for ourselves.
Did you notice how Peter was taken aback by this action? After which, he becomes offended. Jesus corrects him so that he will begin to understand that unless the apostles will be served by their Lord, they have no part of Him. Being washed, we have to wash others. Being served, we have to serve others.
There are two washings for us to pray about today and tomorrow: the one by Jesus and the other by Pilate. Both will use a towel, a water pitcher, and a basin. One speaks of sin the other of grace. One speaks of condemnation to death the other to life. One speaks of rejection and the other of fulfillment. Can there be any question about which of these will bring achievement of the Kingdom of God? Is there any confusion about the direction we need to go?
Tonight we celebrate the sign of Jesus’ covenant love with His people. In each Eucharist He is holding our hand and walking us home.