Lifestyle or Concept

It is on Thursday of Holy Week, the day before the cross, that the heart of Jesus is laid bare for all to see.  This may sound strange to some who have watched Him and walked with Him from the Jordan's baptismal water for all along that way it was evident that His heart was spilling over with love and compassion for everyone He met on the road.  Thursday, however, is still a different day.  How would we live if we knew as He knew that life would be taken from Him within twenty four hours by antagonists who were intent on making His last breathing moments as painful and humiliating as possible?   

Most of us would be holding our head in our hands crying out, "Poor me, it is not right!"  Jesus, on the other hand, shows us a man who is unlike any other man who ever lived.  He took water and a cloth and washed the dirty feet of the disciples.  He broke bread and poured out wine, teaching as He did that the meal He served was a sacramental meal of grace and sacrifice.  Remember, too, He washed the feet of Judas and offered Him the holy meal even though He knew what lurked in the heart of this disciple.  He knew, too, on this night night that Peter would deny Him and that the others would disappear.  Yet, still His first thoughts were not for Himself, but for them.  

There were many memorable words said that night by Jesus, but, perhaps, the most daunting of them all was when He said that as He had washed feet so should they and all of us.  Of course, there is more here than some words which would set us out looking for dirty feet.  Instead, they are words which were spoken to set out to be servants of all.  We are not to love only those who love us, those who appeal to our eye, who attract us, or who would bring benefit to us.  We are to love and serve all.   The dirty ones who are an offense to eye and nose and the ones who have deeply hurt us by actions or words are not those to disdain, but brothers and sisters to love and serve.  So Jesus did and so are we to do if faithfulness to Him is something more than just a symbolic religious concept.