Lessons of Love

The Church of St. Paul and Incarnation, Jersey City NJ

April 9, 2020

Maundy Thursday

Exodus 12:1-4, 11-14

Psalm 116:1, 10-17

1 Corinthians 11:23-26

John 13:1-17, 31b-35

Lessons of Love

            Over the past few Sundays as Sue and I have gathered here for worship, just the two of us, I’ve been reminded of when I was just starting out in the church. Back then, I used to practice my sermons on a congregation of one – the same person who is our lone congregant today.

            She’s a good sport.

            Anyway, back then I’d give my sermon in our living room and she would sit and listen, attentively and politely, sometimes laughing or nodding at the appropriate points, sometimes not, and then after I was done I would look to her for feedback.

 We quickly discovered that the best way for her to help me was for her to tell me what she thought my sermon was about – what she remembered and what seemed to be most important.

            Sometimes in those early months – though I’m sure it happens nowadays, too – whatever I was trying to say would get lost in my many words, my habit of giving too much information, my tendency to forget that I was teaching.

            In fact, back during those days Sue gave me my single best piece of preaching advice: she told me to use repetition – to repeat whatever point I was trying to make, to repeat it even if I thought I sounded like a broken record, because, for the lesson to sink in and really take hold, people listening needed to hear it over and over.

            It’s good advice.

            And, in fact, I’m sure that’s exactly how Jesus taught.

            Throughout his ministry, as he traveled from place to place, Jesus must have repeated many of the same stories, retaught many of the same lessons.

            After all, in each new place there were people who had never heard them before.

            And also, we know that Jesus’ disciples were, let’s say, a little dense - and obviously needed to hear these stories, to learn these lessons of love, over and over again.

            Unfortunately, Jesus didn’t have all the time in the world.

            And, when he and his disciples arrived in Jerusalem for that final Passover, Jesus knew that time was running out.

            And, even the disciples - despite their usual cluelessness, despite all the excitement of being in Jerusalem for Passover – even the disciples were beginning to understand that time was growing short.

            And so, with no time to waste, without the luxury of repetition, Jesus does some of his very best teaching.

Jesus uses only a few words, shocking everyone, especially Peter, by getting on his knees and doing the servant’s work of washing feet – offering an unforgettable lesson on how we are to love one another.

            With no time to waste, Jesus takes the bread and the wine, and teaches that this is who he is, broken and poured out for us – and Jesus promises to be with us each time we gather around the table, each time we remember him.

            Lessons of love.

            Jesus taught so well.

Although we have never forgotten these lessons, we have repeated these lessons over and over in countless places and ways, for two thousand years – washing feet, sharing bread and wine.

But I wonder if we’re learning these lessons of love in an even deeper way during this time of trouble.

            Normally at this service we follow Jesus’ example by doing a ritual foot-washing. Sue and I will do just that in a few minutes and you are invited to wash each other’s feet – or, if you’re alone, you can wash your hands using the prayer on page 9 in the booklet.

            And, a little while after that, we’ll celebrate the Eucharist for one last time until Easter and then we will spend a few minutes praying with Jesus in the garden, and then we will leave him alone for a time.  

            But in these hard days time when most of us can’t touch one another, when we can’t taste the bread and the wine on our tongues, it’s good for us to remember that Jesus’ lessons are not really about feet and not even really about the bread and the wine.

            Lessons of love.

            This evening’s lessons are about God’s love that we see most clearly in Jesus – Jesus who served others and expects us to do the same – Jesus who promises to be with us each time we gather around the table, no matter what, even if it’s on Facebook.

            Usually at this service there are relatively few of us – Thursday evening at 7 doesn’t work for everybody – but I’m guessing there are a lot more of us tuning in this year.
            Partly that's convenience.

            But, we’re here because we’ve recently been reminded that we don’t have all the time in the world – and there are some lessons that we really need to learn – some lessons that we need to learn again.

            Lessons of love.

            Amen.