Faith Daily |14 April 2022

PRAYER of the DAY - APBA p 493

Almighty and everlasting God,

of your tender love towards us

you sent your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ,

to take upon him our flesh,

and to suffer death upon the cross,

that all should follow the example of his great humility:

mercifully grant

that we may both follow the example of his patience,

and also be made partakers of his resurrection;

through the same Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen

GOSPEL for the Day: John 13: 1-17, 31b-35

Now before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. 2The devil had already put it into the heart of Judas son of Simon Iscariot to betray him. And during supper 3Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God, 4got up from the table, took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself. 5Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was tied around him. 6He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” 7Jesus answered, “You do not know now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” 8Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no share with me.” 9Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” 10Jesus said to him, “One who has bathed does not need to wash, except for the feet, but is entirely clean. And you are clean, though not all of you.” 11For he knew who was to betray him; for this reason he said, “Not all of you are clean.” 12After he had washed their feet, had put on his robe, and had returned to the table, he said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? 13You call me Teacher and Lord—and you are right, for that is what I am. 14So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you. 16Very truly, I tell you, servants are not greater than their master, nor are messengers greater than the one who sent them. 17If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.

Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. 32If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. 33Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me; and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’ 34I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. 35By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

GOSPEL REFLECTION: Meredith Nicholls

So, Jesus the Messiah and the King of Kings took off his outer clothing, wrapped a towel around his waist and washed his disciples’ feet! This was quite outrageous.

Jesus always lived what he taught. Often his actions were counter cultural and I imagine this dramatic action would have made a lasting impact on his disciples (including us).

In teaching on humility, Jesus does not practice self abasement, acknowledging that the disciples should rightly call him 'Teacher' and 'Lord.' What he does however is remove this role or position from any vestiges of pride or power. Jesus is teaching us to move away from self-centeredness and to intentionally look to the needs of others before self. He asks us to love one another by acting in a loving way to our brothers and sisters in Christ even when we would rather do otherwise. As we begin to grasp God’s deep and generous love for us, we can respond by loving more fully and selflessly.

I am moved by the fact that Jesus also washed the feet of his betrayer Judas, whom he alluded to. He also demonstrates this supreme act of love and humility knowing that his disciples will all fail him in his time of greatest need.

FINAL PRAYER Meister Eckhart

May Jesus enter into us

And clear out

And cast away all hindrances of soul and body,

To the end that we may be one with him here

Upon earth

And there in heaven.

So help us, God.

Amen.