One of the most powerful pictures we have to meditate  upon on Maundy Thursday is the washing of the Disciples feet by Jesus ( John 13 vs 1 to 17). 

I wonder, have you ever had your feet washed by someone else? In Jesus’ day, foot washing was a fairly regular occurrence as footwear was open toed sandals and you sat on the floor to eat with your feet very likely near someone else’s head. The foot washing would be done by a servant, someone who worked in the lowliest of positions in the household. 

In our modern world we might wash our own hands before eating…but feet?? It would feel very strange and unwelcome, as in our culture it is really only done if we are particularly incapacitated, unable to wash ourselves. 

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As we picture ourselves in that upper room with Jesus, I know that I would be like Peter…”Jesus you shouldn’t be washing my feet, I don’t need you to wash my feet, I’ll manage and anyway you are the Teacher, it’s all wrong”. But Jesus says “without this you cannot belong to me”…and Peter, with his size 12 feet jumps in with “well in that case wash all of me”.

Jesus tells Peter once more “you are missing the point”. It’s not about being physically clean, it is about something deeper. How often do I, do we, miss the point and think we have got this faith thing sorted? The message Jesus was saying to Peter, and to me, was STOP: think, go deeper, understand what I am doing, understand who I am, so that you may grow in your faith.

We first hear of the name of God in Exodus Chapter 3 when Moses hears God’s voice from the burning bush and God says “My name is ‘I am’”. Through this we begin to see the power and majesty of God; but Moses and all the people are not able to look on the face of God (Exodus 33v 20). 

The as the story of Israelites unfolds we hear that they fail to be changed by God’s love, fail to grow in understanding: they need to see the face of God, so that they can understand and experience more of God’s love. Therefore God sends Jesus to teach them and us, to reveal more of himself.

So this Maundy Thursday evening, as we stand on our doorsteps; recognising our vulnerability and powerlessness in the face of this pandemic, applauding and giving thanks for all who care for us, we also give thanks that we can see God - we can know and experience His love for us through the presence of Jesus in our lives.