John 13:1-17, 31-35
Now before the Feast of the Passover
When
Jesus knew that His hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father
Having loved His Own who were in the world,
He loved them to the end.
During supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him, 3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into His Hands, and that He had come from God and was going back to God, 4 rose from supper.
He laid aside His outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around His Waist.
Then He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around Him.
6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?”
7 Jesus answered him,
“What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand.”
8 Peter said to Him, “You shall never wash my feet.”
Jesus answered him,
“If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.”
9 Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!”
10 Jesus said to him,
“The one who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but is completely clean. And you are clean, but not every one of you.” 11 For He knew who was to betray Him; that was why He said, “Not all of you are clean.”
12 When He had washed their feet and put on His outer garments and resumed His place, He said to them, “
Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I Am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet.
15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. 16 Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than His Master, nor is a Messenger greater than the One who sent Him. 17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.
Being in my 6th decade of life, I've always felt the genuine affection we have for the Lord is the heart of the Relationship. And being a child of the 1970s: an age when Pontius Pilate was a historically unfound anomaly, the Hittites were probably a myth, and a virgin never has a baby and only the ignorant think so, I was about 16 before I ever attended a Maundy Thursday Service.
And I found it to be a day everyone said how marvelous it was to live what Jesus had done during His Ministry on earth's final days. It was so marvelous, deeply touching. And truthfully, I found Communion to be beautiful since I was a child in parochial school. Every time. But this, hmm, little uncomfortable, might end up with a stranger in Youth Group. It was a little less than lukewarm for me. But, of course, the rest of the humans gave heart pats and oh-ed and awed, so it was probably fine. Every year, ok, off to Maundy Thursday, weather permitting. Nice when there is a Church Parish Meal. And a good speaker.
To be fair to me, I have done a lot of household chores, so I'm good at washing up. Put me down for a foot washing for Jesus. Easter and Good Friday are very meaningful. Especially the Good Fridays, outside, watching the sunset and listening to the most meaningful of Christian Music.
And then I was probably about 44 years old, and the four of us were standing in line for Maundy Thursday, Jesus wash up. Somehow our sons went first and I watched them do the foot washing for Our Lord. Tidy and kindly.
I went next and I washed up Edward's feet I know so well. And I made sure they were very dry and gave him a ready smile. I even started to walk off. Edward chuckled. And I said, oh sorry, didn't get my shoes off. He didn't reply. And I casually looked over at him, tears coming down his face. Edward has times he reaches in and the most tenderness arrives. Yet, we all have memories of complete tenderness. Edward couldn't speak. Tears were flowing. I started to have a few tears myself. And I rubbed his shoulder. He kissed my cheek. We went back to the aisle, very tenderly. Edward still wept. Finally, Edward could speak, he would put one finger up. And Edward said, “You do so much for us. And I realized how much this is part of your life. And I just completely love you. And, don't know what I'd do without you.”
And in a minute of reaching for the normal conversation, Edward said, “Now, I understand Jesus washing our feet.”
Psalm 91:4
He will cover you with His feathers,
and under His Wings
you will find refuge;
His faithfulness will be your shield and rampart.
Ruth 2:7
- How precious is ... How precious is Your steadfast Love, O God!
The children of mankind
take refuge in the shadow of your wings. *
She was bone tired of being in the hospital and missing her children. For that night, her sister was sleeping. And she went out into the 2 AM spring morning to sit under a huge, old tree at the Hospital to breathe in the cool air. She was looking up at the tree getting leaves, seeing birds in the trees, as a streetlamp illuminated the tree.
Her sister was so ill, again. It would be weeks, or months, before there weren't Hospital nights again. But the quiet and the cooing doves were soothing. She decided she would spend awake times under this tree in the late night, early evenings. So peaceful. Wishing she was home, in her bed, knowing her own children were only feet from her room.
Suddenly, all the Doves flew to the sky, quickly. She had to stand up as if in flight with the Doves. So many Doves, more than she had seen by the streetlamp. And suddenly, terror struck her. She felt she had witnessed her beloved, lifelong adventure, best friend, sister had suddenly decided to fly to Eternity, to Heaven. NO, it was not possible.
And she turned and ran up 4 flights of stairs to go into the Hospital Room. Nurses in the Room. Why. And her sister's head was turned, looking up to the window and sky. She had passed on, into forever.
Tears were flowing. We stood while she wept. “Gone, forever.”
No, not gone forever. Gone until eternity.
But the Doves? Were the Doves part of her sister's passing? Was the idea her sister had decided today, was the day been part of this? How did her sister arrange all of this?
My opinion, was the Lord and His Angel or Angels greet us at our passing. And if the Lord wants the Doves to fly and send a message by our soul's thoughts, then the Doves fly and we will understand from our heart and soul, The Lord, is present and His Plan is being fulfilled.
And my FB friend asked, how do we know? I want to know. Well, Elijah is a story about passing on with Elisha understanding the Lord's Plan and Message.
Hospice says people decide to pass on alone, to spare the ones we love the grief of the passing. Almost always. Go for a meal, go out to use the restroom, and the passing will happen. This is a mercy, the Lord allows those passing to have.
My FB friend said she would have to process this for quite some time. Of course. A lot of the parables Jesus gave us involve the time to grow into what we know. Elisha was discussing this, beyond the passing of Elijah.
God announced the Beginning, with His Word. “Let there be Light.”
And Luke announces His Good News, explaining the “'Sun Light' has visited us from upon high.”
Hebrews begins saying He upholds the Universe, with the Power of His Word.
Jesus, comfortable with His People, sat to teach. Easily discussing His Father, even as a child, in the gigantic, Temple.
Jesus used countless Words, according to John the Disciple. Words to heal, Words to encourage. Words to convince of change and repentance. Words to draw forth to the God of Love.
When Jesus wanted to speak of His Life and His goodbyes to His Beloved Disciples, He got them, as they were, and washed them. Cooling off the road of travel, intimately letting them know they are precious, special, chosen. Refreshing them. Making a memory to last for all of eternity. Just not with Words.
Jesus is Beautiful.
♔ Lord Jesus Saves †
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