Washing of Feet

Well, there a six minutes left of Holy Thursday, as I sit to write this post. Tonight I went to mass where I normally wouldn't go because we went as a house, to build community together, and it was one of the best experiences I have ever had. On Holy Thursday, when you attend mass, twelve people have their feet washed by the priest, to signify Jesus washing the disciple's feet. Today, the priest washed the feet of the twelve, and then proceeded to wash the feet of those around them and each person had their feet washed by someone, and washed someone else's feet. It was an amazing experience to wash the feet of my housemate and have my feet washed by a different housemate. It truly signified how we serve one another.

Will you let me be your servant, let me be as Christ to you?
Pray that I might have the grace to let you be my servant, too.
  (Lyrics from one of the hymns we sang during the washing of the feet)

These words really struck me tonight. Will you let me be your servant, let me be Christ to you. In the Gospel today Peter did not want Jesus to wash his feet. He probably did not feel worthy to receive this gift of service from the man who would be the Savior. I would not have wanted Jesus to wash my feet either - but tonight he did, through my sister, but really it was Jesus washing my feet. How beautiful, to allow others to serve us. 

In the past week, much weight has been lifted from my shoulders. I found a job in a hospital, and got hired, I found out I'm nearly finished with my physical therapy treatment for my headaches, and have been lifted from the suffering I was enduring in the form of headaches. It seemed as if Christ was giving me an Easter joy before it was due - and only in the final days of lent. But then I realized, I can only have this joy because of the price that Christ paid - because of his suffering and death on the cross, am I able to experience the joy of the resurrection. Only because Jesus loved me - He paid the price I could not pay because my sin was so great, because He loved me, and wants to be with me. He gave me a taste of the joy of Easter just before the annual remembrance of the Passion so that my eyes may be opened to see why He endured the suffering He did - to be able to give me this joy. 

Our God is a god of love, of mercy, of goodness, and of kindness. He came not just to be served, but to serve - to offer his life, and his love as sacrifice for us, so that we may be able to enter into the eternal kingdom. Praise him.