Maundy Thursday

Julie Kae Sigars

Do you know what I have done to you?

This Jesus.  He knows what is coming.  This Jesus takes time to be… well, to be…human with his friends.  This Jesus takes the time to address…love.  And in doing this… he shows that he knows it is a hard thing.  It is one thing to say “Just love one another. Easy Smeezy.”  It is another to really do it.  And do it in very concrete ways.  Involving touch and food.  Involving actions in the world and need. 

Do you know what I have done to you?

During the meal, in the John reading, it is pre-Passover…. Jesus gets up.  He, in a sense, arose… he gets up from the table.  The meal doesn’t seem to be over.  We can imagine the slowing down of conversation, especially when Jesus takes off his outer robe, and ties a towel around himself. Then the sound of pouring water, hitting a basin. Then the bending down to wash feet. And drying the feet with the towel that has become part of his clothing. And this might have been the last time he had individual time with each of his disciples. Godspell, when Jesus says goodbye to each of his friends, individually, connecting to them personally, in a way that is meaningful for them alone….

Do you know what I have done to you?

When it is Peter’s turn, Peter, who must have seen Jesus wash others' feet before him, and had time to wrap his brain around this…. and, as is Peter’s way, get it wrong…. When it is Peter’s turn, he thinks he knows what needs to be said.  Peter seems to be the “Let me fix this” guy.  “Here, let me build some tents so we can stay on this mountain with Moses and Elijah.”  No, Peter.  “Jesus, don’t talk about dying.”  No, Peter.  And like a broken clock that is right twice a day, we are thankful when Peter gets it right: "You are the anointed One."

This is not one of those times.

Peter says: “You will never wash my feet.” 
You will never address this way of being in the world that is dirty and nasty. I will keep this from you and let other, lesser people, deal with it. I will only let you see my best side.

“Peter, unless I wash you, you have no share with me.”

Well, then, if you put it that way, I will jump in and let you wash all of me!  I got it now!

Uh, no, Peter….

Do you know what I have done to you?

Jesus finishes the washing, puts his robe back one and returns to the table.  More important table talk.
Teaching moments.  “You do not know now what I am doing,” Jesus said earlier. "But later, you will understand…”  And now, “I, who you call teacher and Lord, I have washed your feet.”  Why did I do this?  To show you the way.  So you will do this FOR EACH OTHER.  This is what you do, to show the world that you understand, understand deeply, and are committed to this radical way of love.  Love that has nothing to do with making things better just for your family and friends, but for all.  Love that knows that being in the world can be scary, dangerous, dirty and nasty… but that these people who follow the way of Jesus know that, and love you anyway… know that… and take off their outer robe… and tie towels around their waists and pour water and begin the washing and healing of a hurting world.

Do you know what I have done to you?

You do not know now what I am doing, but later you will understand.

There are moments when we get it. There are many moments when we don’t.  Sometimes we are Peters who think we got it and shout it for all to hear… and it can be embarrassing.  And fixing it makes it worse.  And when that happens, we can say to ourselves… well, I guess I did not know what Jesus wanted of me right then… maybe I should take off my outer robe, my self-assured self and wash some feet.  Maybe growing closer to God has more to do with the mandate of loving one another than any one particular practice.  Or that our spiritual practices can be tested by how they make this “Love one another” possible or even probable….

Do you know what I have done to you?

Memory.  We re-member.  We bring ourselves back together with these stories and these actions.  At the table.  We re-member.  Washing feet…we re-member.  Barriers are broken.  In community. 

By this, everyone will know… if you have love for one another.

If we look beyond ourselves, and do the same.  Arise, kneel, bend to wash, arise to continue the meal…

Then take the towel, and break the bread,
 and humble us, and call us friends. 
Suffer and serve till all are fed
And show how grandly love intends
to work till all creation sings,
to fill all worlds, to crown all things.

Crown all things…. Equally…all creation sings.
The acts of love, deep love…acts from human experience and need,  washing and eating…What Great Love has called us here.

Let us pray.
Great Love, Divine Love, Son of Man, we give you thanks for being with us and turning the world upside down with your radical love and hospitality.  We sometimes do not know what you have done to us, but we see glimpses in your love and care breaking out in the world and even amongst us gathered here. We pray for understanding and courage so that all will know we are your disciples by how we love one another.

Amen.