HOLY THURSDAY
Author: Fr. Michael Byron
April 18, 2019
We have made
the gospel of Jesus Christ far too complicated over the course of the years and
the centuries. And the pastors and
theologians have been the more significant part of the problem in all that. I count myself among both. This evening’s gospel cuts through the false
pretense in this by reminding us of what is at the heart of the life witness of
Jesus Christ, the essence of what it means to be a Christian, and in fact to be an integral
human being. He came among us as one who
served others. Not just by being kind in
a sort of vanilla Minnesota way. Not
merely by being deferential and humble in the face of immediate disruptions and
disappointments. He got down on his
knees and washed other people’s feet, when nobody asked for or expected that from
him. Stinky, dirty, varicose veiny,
ingrown toenailed, rashy feet. What more
primal or explicit demonstration of the purpose of his life is possible than
that? This is the heart of what it all
means. And the minute we try to make our
faith something more disconnected from that sort of humble service, we begin to
deceive ourselves.
So let us
make this night a homecoming, a return to what church is all about. Let your feet be washed, however humbling
that may seem to be to you. And let
yourself wash the feet of another, however off-putting that may feel.
It’s not
about you. It’s not about me. It’s about service to those with whom we
share life. Tonight’s Eucharist calls us
back to our stark, naked center. If that
seems too difficult, too off-putting, then think again.
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