Do you dare?

Tonight is a most holy night. In the gospels according to Matthew, Mark, and Luke, and in the letters from Paul, Jesus gathers with his disciples to share in a festive meal together. He takes bread, blesses it, breaks it, shares it, and tells his disciples that this is his body, given up for all. And he commands us to "do this in remembrance of me." Tonight we are given the Eucharist -- the celebration of God's gift-giving which brings Christians together throughout the centuries.

Tonight, Jesus gives himself to us shows us the way to share in his presence in every age and place.

But John, in his gospel account of Holy Thursday, takes a different spin. John uses the sixth chapter of his gospel (worth reading if you don't know it well!) to demonstrate how ALL of Christ's ministry, life, and death was a eucharistic act. On the night before he died, Jesus did the unthinkable. He washed the feet of his disciples.

To understand what this act really means, we need to put ourselves in Palestine 2,000 years ago. People didn't wear shoes and socks. They didn't shower. They wore sandals -- the same sandals -- day after day. And they walked throught dust, mud, refuse, and probably feces. Their feet reeked. So much so that even slaves and servants would not wash their masters' feet. It was too gross, too dirty, and honestly, too intimate. Just too close for comfort.

And yet, this is precisely what Jesus does. And his disciples are baffled. They have been following this man around for three years and even now, he never ceases to amaze them. But they really shouldn't be surprised. Jesus has told us the first shall be last, that life is about love, and love is about service. And this is exactly what washing his disciples' feet is about: service.

And, just as Jesus takes bread, blesses it, breaks it, and shares it, telling us that this is his body and we need to "do this in remembrance" of him, so too, Jesus invites us to this same humbling act of service, love, and intimacy. Because Jesus knows that love is about getting too close for comfort sometimes, getting dirty sometimes, and humbling ourselves all the time.

My spiritual director asked me a magnificent question today. Do you dare let Jesus wash your feet?

Of course, we ought to say yes. But can you imagine what that would be like?
Can you imagine the tender care and comfort Our Lord would use on your stinky feet?
Can you imagine him looking you in the eye and being able to see how much he loves you?
Will you allow yourself to be served? Will you allow yourself to be loved?
Really?