[arcura]

Today's Gospel Lesson
John 13: 1. Before the festival of the Passover, Jesus, knowing that his hour had come to pass from this world to the Father, having loved those who were his in the world, loved them to the end.
2. They were at supper, and the devil had already put it into the mind of Judas Iscariot son of Simon, to betray him.
3. Jesus knew that the Father had put everything into his hands, and that he had come from God and was returning to God,
4. and he got up from table, removed his outer garments and, taking a towel, wrapped it round his waist;
5. he then poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel he was wearing.
6. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, "Lord, are you going to wash my feet?"
7. Jesus answered, "At the moment you do not know what I am doing, but later you will understand."
8. `Never!" said Peter. "You shall never wash my feet." Jesus replied, "If I do not wash you, you can have no share with me." Simon Peter said,
9. `Well then, Lord, not only my feet, but my hands and my head as well!"
10. Jesus said, "No one who has had a bath needs washing, such a person is clean all over. You too are clean, though not all of you are."
11. He knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said, "though not all of you are".

12. When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments again he went back to the table. "Do you understand", he said, "what I have done to you?
13. You call me Master and Lord, and rightly; so I am.
14. If I, then, the Lord and Master, have washed your feet, you must wash each other's feet.
15. I have given you an example so that you may copy what I have done to you.
16. `In all truth I tell you,
No servant is greater than his master,
No messenger is greater than the one who sent him.
17. `Now that you know this, blessed are you if you behave accordingly.
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Jesus example here demonstrates what He has said that the best leader must also be the best servant.
:confused:Do you and do you know of Christians who try their nbest to follow this example?:confused:
In my Church the pastor washes the feet of some of the congregation but not all or we would be there all day long.
Does your pastor do that?
:)Peace and kindness,:)
Fred

[Unknown008]

Hum, not in my church, but they do try to help others to solve their problems they ask them. I know, there are still a lot of work to do... :(

[kp2171]

This might seem like off topicish... and I'm not a scholar here by any means, but this passage, for me, has special meaning and I cannot interpret it and discuss it without a wider perspective.

While that passage can be simply taken as a call for leaders to be good servants... its much more than that.

A jewish slave in that time would not be asked to do such a degrading task. It is beyond doing to others as you would have done for you... it is a complete rejection of domination hierrarchy, which resounds throughout the gospels.

When he accepted the kisses at his feet by a prostitute who then anointed them with oil, he didn't give a damn that it was an act that "rendered him unclean". She was an equal. And in accepting this, he didn't bring shame on himself... traditionally, his male guests were the ones scandalized. He forced them into a terribly uncomfortable position.

When he healed a woman in the synagogue on the sabbath, he rebuked codes about menstual cleanliness and sexuality and gave her full access to God's grace without patriarchal middlemen.

And over and over...

His washing of the feet wasn't about an act of service by a leader... it was an obliteration of systems of domination. A call for no "higher leader" among men.

One of the more subtle, but personally, one of the most powerful, was the call to turn one's cheek if stuck on the right cheek.

To hit an opponents right cheek you have two options... to use your right hand (a backhand) or to to use your left (a punch or forward hit).

But the left hand was for unclean tasks. To gesture with the left hand would force some into penance. Also, a forward strike was how one took on an equal. The alternative, the hit with the right in a backhand, is an act of insult, humiliation. It is a blow not to injure, but to degrade. The backhand was used by masters to put people back into their place... servants, slaves, wives, children...

So... you are insulted with a backhand. You are called to turn and present the other cheek for another blow.

This isn't for a coward. This isn't submission. It is the most powerful act of nonviolent aggression and challenge.

If the master backhands you again with the left, it shows the futility of the act. It didn't work the first time. And you are using your left hand.

If you choose to strike again with your right you cannot be hit with a backhand. You must be struck with a straight on blow... reserved for equals. Again... a call for the end of domination.

So... in that context... with Jesus washing the feet of His disciples and calling for an end of authoritative ranking and pecking orders... for all to be equal under one divine master, just one true teacher...

I think few people do this well.

[sndbay]

8. `Never!" said Peter. "You shall never wash my feet." Jesus replied, "If I do not wash you, you can have no share with me." Simon Peter said,
9. `Well then, Lord, not only my feet, but my hands and my head as well!"
:)Peace and kindness,:)
Fred

Fred,

This is the best ensample of how Christ came to show us the way.. Born of woman in flesh, yet knowingly as Peter knew, Christ was the begotten Son of God.

Both indenities man and Son, were servants unto the Father. Ensampled to us the way in which we should be good servants in love of others, and in the Will of God.

If we as man do not share with Christ in following HIS way.. then we have no share of HIM

John 17:21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.

John 17:22-23 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.

[arcura]

sndbay and kp2171,
Thank you much.
Fred