Today we held a Maundy Meal at church. We heard the account of the last supper from John’s Gospel and we ate together. We didn’t have a full blown passover meal. Instead, we had some delicious home made soup with bread, cheese and fruit. We also didn’t wash anyones feet.
The gospel says how Jesus tied a towel around his waist and washed the feet of his disciples. This was something a servant or slave would have done – they all walked in sandals and so their feet would become dusty from the roads. So it is tradition on Maundy Thursday to emulate that in the service. It has always struck me as strange. Partly because our culture doesn’t normally do that so it seems an odd thing to do, and partly because I’m fairly sure that anyone who volunteered to have their feet washed had made sure they were clean before leaving the house and defeating the object of the exercise! There are plenty of churches that still do this symbolic act and plenty of people who find it helpful to participate in.
I remember one year at church we had a Maundy Supper where we washed the hands of the person next to us. I remember it very well because I was quite young, possibly 6, and the jug was quite heavy and I ended up dropping it and making some rolls very soggy! But culturally, washing hands makes more sense – a lot more people wash their hands before eating than wash their feet where I live.
But this evening, while we were eating, it was suggested we discuss what Jesus would be doing if he were around now. Different ideas were thrown around. Some focused on the hospitality side: having someone wash your feet was a sign of welcome and respect. Maybe Jesus would take our coats, or bring a chair so we could take off our shoes. Some focused on service: washing feet was a servants job, not a leaders. Maybe Jesus would serve the drinks, or maybe he would be washing the dishes.
Maybe what he would be doing doesn’t matter as much as why. Jesus gave an example for his disciples to follow, that they should go and do the same. That we should go and do the same. So we should wash everyone’s feet?
I don’t think it’s that simple. I don’t think it’s the action, I think it’s the heart. Jesus, their Lord and teacher, lowers himself in status to fulfil the role of a servant. He shows that he is willing to love and serve in a manner society would say is below him.
So what would Jesus do (wwjd) today? I don’t know. But I think it would be something that would make people sit up and listen, something that went against the status quo. Maybe he would offer to wash our feet. And I know he would send us away to do the same.
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