Maundy Thursday, March 29, 2018
Exodus 12: 1-14, Psalm 116
I Corinthians 11:23-26,
John 13: 1-17,31b-35
St Thomas the Apostle
The Rev’d Joy A. Daley
My Lord, No. Someone needs to tell Jesus to get up off his knees. To stand up What does he think he’s doing. Doesn’t he know who he is? But no one would say it. They all sit there frozen as he bent over gently holding their feet looking up at them and there was something in his eyes that made their hearts break. So many things flashing through their minds from the past 3 years.
That very first day they saw him. They ran after him There was something about him as he walked down the road Face set. Strides sure and strong. He was on his way toward something and they wanted in on whatever it was. They were like little kids following along trying to not be too obvious. It was embarrassing when he stopped looked back at them and said “What are you looking for?” They didn’t know what to say so they answered the question with a question “Where are you staying?” Not a very clever comeback but he didn’t seem put off. “Come and See,” he said. And so they went and saw him do many things some that they never expected and some that were pretty confusing.
Talking and eating with people they would not be caught dead with if they were in charge insignificant children, crazy people, dirty outcasts when he should have been getting them in with people that matter. Telling them to feed all kinds of people when they could have had a quiet meal together. Then in broad daylight sitting and talking with a Samaritan woman by the well. What was he thinking? Why put yourself in a bad position for no reason? But they didn’t dare to ask him about it He seemed stubborn sometimes doing and saying strange things talking in riddles.
But then there were days when they knew he had to be The One. Like the time the official’s daughter was dying and all he said was, “Go she is alive” And that’s just the way it was. The blind man seeing after he touched him with spit and mud Teaching in the temple, saying amazing things he could not have known about. Those were the times they just knew in their bones that any day he would be in charge and they would be calling the shots then.
Just days ago it seemed a sure thing the palms, the cloaks, the shouts. Blessed is the one, Look your king is coming. How quickly things change. This is a strange week. And now the festival, this meal. His quiet troubled face and now the dirty feet, the basin, the towel.
Thank God for Peter. He says what everyone else is thinking but no one else can say. “Never! You’re not going to wash my feet.” Make him listen Peter. Please make Jesus see that he is wrong. Please Peter, for all of us. Teacher and Lord you are kneeling holding feet that are dirty, rough You kneel before us when we refuse to kneel before anyone So we plead our case. Don’t do this. We don’t want it. We don’t need it. We are not helpless children. But most importantly we just don’t deserve it. “For God’s sake, Let Go!” But he won’t because he knows. Lord it is hard to let you wash away the grime of our frustration, our struggles, our mistakes What are you looking for? he asked the very first day This is the answer to that question. Our feet in his hands Lord help us to accept your unconditional love.
