The very last hours that Jesus spent with his friends draw me in over and over. His words and actions seen from our perspective, knowing the betrayal and confusions to come, seem entirely incomprehensible to me. I originally intended to pray through the entire book of John this year but for many reasons I have decided to focus on chapters 13-17 leading up the arrest of Jesus. Maybe it seems we should have done this before Resurrection day, before Easter, but I feel compelled to re-examine this evening in the life of Christ while holding in mind the idea that we are living the anniversary weeks of the resurrected Christ walking the earth and explaining it all to his friends.
This evening begins as the group gathers for supper. Before any words are said, everyone present receives a humble gift of service from our Lord- their stinky, dusty feet are washed. Opting out is not an option. “If I don’t wash you, you can’t be part of what I am doing.”
On his way back to God, Jesus was hours away from his final sacrifice. John tells us that Jesus loved his own, and he loved them to the end. I believe in this moment, he wants to feel the closeness of actually touching those he loves in a cleansing act. He knows the cleansing of his blood is the final fulfillment of the symbolic cleansing of foot washing; that the horrible hours he is shortly to endure will allow us to be completely clean so that we can live in the presence of our God.
Foot washing is the loving touch of our human Savior who is fortelling the loving sacrifice of our divine Savior. And if we want to be a part of what he is doing, we have to accept his cleansing gift directly, personally from his hand.
Father, these hours that Jesus spent with the humans he loved as companions are deeply, richly significant. Open our hearts and minds to hear these words of Jesus in a fresh and heartfelt way. Today, I pray my children will accept the gift of cleansing from Christ’s own hand. I pray that my precious children will feel the power of love you have that is individual and unique to each one of them. Grant that they will meditate on your love so that it penetrates deep into their souls, freeing and empowering them to be who you created them to be. #prayersformychildren
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