Lenten Blessing for April 20,2000 [Maundy Thursday] Ubi Caritas et Amor, Deus ibi est. Where charity and love, there God is. Where love is passionately expressed for all Creation with all the heart and mind and soul, in body as in mind, the Spirit of God resides. John 13:2b-5 NRSV And during supper Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God, got up from the table, took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself. Then 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. BAS Maundy pg. 305 introduction ...that I may recall whose servant I am by following the example of my Master... It would have been different if he had greeted them with this; or had taken the slaves' ladel as well as the bowl. Or had waited 'til the end of the meal. There were many ways he could have done this differently. But this is what he did. During the meal, while they all ate and talked, he rose from the couch he reclined on with his friends and followers. He took off his outer robe. [The garment worn for decency in public, for covering nakedness, for keeping some things private.] And tied a towel around himself. [Think of it this way, you have your dress shirt on, only it has an even hem and comes down to between mid-thigh and the knees. No boxers. No socks. You take an extra long dish cloth and wrap one end of it round your hips. Tuck the other end in at the waist for the moment or throw it over your shoulder.] Then he poured water in a basin [More like a bird bath than a mixing bowl. Large and shallow, not really designed for carrying about.] and began to wash the disciples' feet. [They are reclining at table, heads in, feet out. And the Master of all comes round, like a slave to wash them, and not their hands that they use for eating, but their feet. Their feet covered with the dust of the world. The dust of past travel. Of past action.] And He made them clean. As with the love that lays down life for friendship, so is this. That lays down pride and postion, image and doing-the-right-things. That is seen talking to the homeless on a main street. Cleaning the toilets at church. Taking the single mothers children to the beach so she can have a free day. The endless round of servant tasks that make this world closer to the Kingdom. Indeed, loving the other enough to make the Kingdom appear in their life. Yes, there is risk. But the world has never been comfortable with those who serve rather than be served, who give rather than take. 'Thy kingdom come, thy will be done,' and He told us his will. 'Love God [] and love your neighbour as yourself.' But let us go back again to what He did. This person participating in a meal with a group of his friends and students, wearing the power suit of the day, gets up and takes off his jacket. Puts a towel over his arm, fills a bowl with water, and attends to their comfort. Assuming the tasks and appearance of a servant. Changing roles freely, joyously? for love of those who he served. He proclaims in word and deed, 'I am your servant, this is how I lead you, how I love you, how I wish you to love me.' There are other examples if you look for them. Those who are healed when they are listened to, when they, with all their faults, are accepted and declared whole. Those also, who are healed because they believe. That are ready to accept the grace, the service, of God. But this is all immediate, hands on, one to one service offered and received between people long ago and in another context and culture. Is it not? Look at what I wrote. Those who are healed when they are listened to; those who are healed when they accept God's grace. What is long ago or far away in that? The Lord serves us; the Lord in us serves others. This is not an easy teaching, I don't think it was ment to be. But neither do I believe it is a teaching that offers us an option to do otherwise. If we can not accept that we are called not to serve ourselves but to serve others, then how can we accept the service of God? His incarnation, life, and death?. And that it was a life not for himself but for the healing of the world. At supper He took bread, blessed God, broke the bread and gave it to his people saying; Take, eat, this is my Body, an offering for all. During supper, in full awareness of His nature, He washed their feet saying; As I do for you, do so for others. After supper He took the Cup of wine, gave thanks to God, and gave it to them saying; Drink, all of you, this is my blood of the new Covenant. 'Go ye, and do likewise.'

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