The washing of the disciples' feet

Today is Holy Thursday so allow me to share with you our reflections on today’s gospel about the washing of the disciples’ feet, which for me is one of the greatest teachings of Christianity that today is totally disregarded not only by Christians, but by non-Christians alike. It is a lesson on Servant Leadership, where a leader is supposed to serve his people or his constituents. But then, 2,000 years later, our political leaders whom we elect into office to serve us, suddenly turn around right after the elections are over to become our masters. You can read this in John 13:1-15.

 “Before the feast of Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to pass from this world to the Father. He loved his own in the world and he loved them to the end. 2 The Devil had already induced Judas, son of Simon the Iscariot, to hand him over. So during supper, 3 fully aware that the Father had put everything into his power and that he had come from God and was returning to God, 4 he rose from supper and took off his outer garments.

 He took a towel and tied it around his waist. 6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Master, are you going to wash my feet? 7 Jesus answered and said to him, “What I am doing, you do not understand now, but you will understand later.” 8 Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “Unless I wash you, you will have no inheritance with me. 9 Simon Peter said to him, “Master, then not only my feet, but my hands and head as well.”

 10 Jesus said to him, “Whoever has bathed has no need except to have his feet washed, for he is clean all over; so you are clean, but not all.” 11 For he knew who would betray him; for this reason, he said, “Not all of you are clean.” So when he had washed their feet [and] put his garments back on and reclined at table again, he said to them, “Do you realize what I have done for you? 13 You call me ‘teacher’ and ‘master,’ and rightly so, for indeed I am. 14 If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do.”

 When our Lord Jesus Christ knew that his hour had come, it was then that he prepared his disciples and taught them the most important things that they need to know before he returns to his Father in Heaven. In short, he reserved his great teachings for last as it is the most meaningful amongst all his teachings. Sure, loving your enemies is a great teaching too, but it is the most difficult, but this teaching in humility is something that we humans can all understand and embrace. It is just a matter of attitude.

 This event happened just before their celebration of the Feast of the Passover, which happened in the Upper Room, when they celebrated the Last Supper where our Lord Jesus Christ instituted the New Covenant called the Holy Eucharist, the greatest gift that our Lord bequeath to his disciples and to the world to fulfill his promise when he ascended into heaven when he said, “I shall be with you till the end of time.”

 I’ve read this Bible passage over and over and it still amazes me that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God who doesn’t belong to this World would show such kind of humility. Jesus is Lord and Master of the Universe and we are nothing before him. Yet he teaches his disciples that the act of a master should be to empty himself in total humility. No doubt this teaching is very difficult especially for us humans, who often gloat in our bloated egos. This is one reason why early Christians believed that Jesus Christ was the Son of God for he did things that only God does, but not what humans do.

 Mind you, this teaching is not only for our political or government leaders, it also goes for the Church clergy and those in many Catholic Lay organizations who call themselves as Servant Leaders, which includes even leadership in many Puroks or Sitio level parish activities. I can assure you that if a leader of a community shows this kind of humility, it would lead to good governance, which then leads to a better way in running the organization, regardless whether it is a church-based community organization or a Barangay or a City or Provincial government.

 Christ had to teach his disciples the lessons in humility in preparation for his instituting the Holy Eucharist, which he does a few minutes after this event, because the Holy Eucharist is his body, blood, soul and divinity. Even though we only see him in a piece of a white bread, but in our eyes of faith, it is God himself. Humility is the attitude we must all embrace as we partake in Holy Communion with God because we should thank God for the grace to be able to consume him so he can truly be with us and inside us as Temples of his body present in the Holy Eucharist.

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