The Gospel for Holy Thursday is taken from John, 13th chapter, 1st through the 15th verse. Before the feast of Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to pass from this world to the Father. He loved his own in the world, and he loved them to the end. The devil had already induced Judas, son of Simon the Iscariot, to hand him over. So during supper, fully aware that the Father had put everything into his power and that he had come from God and was returning to God, he rose from supper and took off his outer garments. He took a towel and tied it around his waist.

Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples feet and dry them with a towel around his waist. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, master, are you going to wash my feet? Jesus answered and said to him, what I am doing, you do not understand now, but you will understand later. Peter said to him, you will never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, unless I wash you, you will have no inheritance with me. Simon Peter said to him, master, then not only my feet, but my hands and head as well.

Jesus said to him, whoever has bathed has no need except to have his feet washed, for he is clean all over. So you are clean, but not all. For he knew who would betray him. For this reason, he said, not all of you are clean. So when he had washed their feet and put his garment back on and reclined at table again, he said to them, do you realize what I have done for you? You call me teacher and master, and rightly so, for indeed I am.

If I, therefore the Master and Teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another’s feet. I’ve given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do. It’s clear in the scripture that the disciples did not understand the kingdom that Jesus came to establish. It was a wonderful kingdom, so different than the temple. It was not about people having authority over someone else, but each individual being cared for and honored for their dignity and their value. So it strikes me that what Jesus was giving them example of is the kingdom of God that’s going to come is never going to be caught up and should never be caught up in a kind of servitude that it demands of others, but rather the institution, the work, the community has to be that of a servant, one who honors the person that they’re serving and not having some kind of power over them.

Closing PRAYER Father, we are church. Each of us, without realizing it, perhaps we represent who Christ is. That’s our role here on this planet. And when we ever use our authority over people, when we tend to abuse them in any way by taking away their freedom or by simply controlling their life, we need to notice that we need to be afraid of that kind of way of service. It’s not really what people need. They don’t need to be told what to do.

They need to be honored for who they are. That’s what we pray for. And we ask this in Jesus name, amen.