St. Thomas’ Episcopal Church, Owings Mills MD
April 17, 2022
Maundy Thursday
Exodus 12:1-14
Psalm 116:1, 10-17
1 Corinthians 11:23-26
John 13:1-17, 31b-35
Remembrance and Service
For a while, Jesus had predicted his fate, trying to prepare his disciples for all that was going to happen in Jerusalem, during the days around Passover, in a time of turmoil.
But Jesus’ closest friends would not – or could not – accept that their friend, the one they had come to know and love as Lord was going to suffer and die.
We know how it is.
But, in a city on edge, Jesus and his disciples gathered around the table for what everyone must have realized would be their last supper together.
The hard truth was sinking in.
It would have been understandable to simply sit quietly for a while in the terrible sadness of it all, but, instead, Jesus the great teacher uses this precious opportunity to share a few last, most important lessons.
At this last supper with his friends, Jesus takes and blesses bread and wine and promises that he will always be with them – he will always be with us - when we gather together around the table to remember him.
And Jesus also washes the feet of his disciples, an act of service so outrageously lowly that Peter, reasonably enough, is shocked, and insists that he simply will not allow it.
The fisherman says flat out, “You will never wash my feet.”
But Jesus patiently explains that this is how it must be – this is how it must be if Peter and the others want to be part of Jesus, want to be part of his community of love and service.
Hearing that, Peter, finally showing some wisdom, quickly gives in, enthusiastically inviting Jesus to wash not just his feet, but his whole body.
When the foot-washing was complete, Jesus gives his great command – in Latin, the mandatum - that gives Maundy Thursday its name.
Jesus gives his great command that we are to love one another as he loves us.
And this love is not so much a nice warm feeling.
No, this love is action – this love is expressed by offering lowly, costly service. This love is shared by washing feet.
Many of you know that I like to mention how the disciples were often clueless, frequently fell short, they just didn’t get Jesus.
It’s a consolation for those of us who are often clueless, frequently fall short, just don’t get Jesus.
But, despite all the turmoil of that night and the days ahead, despite the heartbreak of the cross and the wonder of the empty tomb, despite all of that and much more to come, the disciples remembered.
They remembered these most important lessons and they passed them down through the generations, all the way to us here this evening.
Especially in our own time of turmoil, these are lessons that we need to hear and learn again.
We are not alone.
Jesus is among us – really with us – in the Bread and the Wine, really present each time we gather and remember him.
And our own time of turmoil has both caused and revealed so much suffering all around us – making us even more acutely aware of just how many feet need washing.
We wash feet by caring for our parishioners who are sick, lonely, sad, frightened.
We wash feet by feeding the people at Paul’s Place, by providing supplies for the people who line up week after week at the Community Crisis Center, by teaching the children at Owings Mills Elementary School.
We wash feet by welcoming and loving our Afghan friends and neighbors.
Yes, especially today, we need to hear and learn the lessons of Jesus, we need to remember his command to love one another.
Near the end of this evening’s service, we will follow the ancient practice of “stripping” the altar, putting away most of sacred objects and furnishings, symbolizing the end of the Last Supper, and preparing for Good Friday.
And, just as Jesus spent the night praying in the garden, we will bring the Bread and Wine, the Body and Blood of Christ, here to our beautiful little garden.
We will conclude in silence.
I invite you to stay for at least a few quiet minutes of prayer and reflection.
Remember Jesus, his teachings, his example, his sacrifice – remember his command for us to love one another.
And recommit to washing feet.
Amen.
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