HOLY THURSDAY

Exodus 12: 1-14 Psalm: 116: 1 Corin 11: 23-26 John 13: 1-15

he began to wash the disciples’ feet

1. I had prepared a well thought out (at least according to me) homily for Holy Thursday. They were based on the beautiful words of Marty Haughen’s composition, "We remember, we celebrate, we believe". I remembered the wonders God did for us through history from Abraham till our present day. I celebrated the beauty of the Eucharist and the Priesthood - the most traditional events we celebrated from the time I was a child. This led to our belief. However, I realised that although these are important they are not the main point of our celebration.

All through the year, at Mass during the celebration of the Word, the priest or deacon reads the Gospel, and then "breaks open" the Word, through a reflection or meditation. But Holy Thursday is a different spirit. "Jesus takes a towel and puts it round his waist and washes the feet"

2. Holy Thursday is not so much a Word to be heard, but a mystery to be experienced. I "see" the reluctance of Peter to have his feet washed, and relate to my own experience of those areas in myself

that I do not want to open,

which I want to let remain in the dark,

that I do not want Jesus to see, to touch, to heal and to save.

I "allow" when I am faced with the goodness of Jesus, "Lord not only my feet, but my whole body as well." I taste and see the goodness of a God who became flesh and dwelt among us. It is something tangible. It is something that I feel.

Twelve fellow church members have their feet washed. But it is not just to those twelve, Jesus has come. Jesus is open to each and everyone in this church.

3. If I get a chance to read this before the service, as a preparation for this feast,

If I only hear it during the service, I can still

I stand under a shower and as the water falls over me, imagine the Grace of God pouring out over me. If I want to be ecologically correct, then perhaps I should fill the sink with water - and splash it on my face, as I think of the areas Jesus wants to wash and make clean

• bitterness, resentment, desire for revenge, a sin that I do not want to let go, and use as a crutch... gambling, alcohol, pornography, laziness, self pity.

• But this is not an examination of conscience, nor navel gazing introspection - it is realising like Peter there is a reluctance on my part to be touched by Jesus.

4. As our feet are being washed, I think of the Eucharist

we heard the story in the second reading, and the words said in the consecration, Take and Eat this my body which is given up for you

Take and Drink this is the cup of my blood which has been poured out for you.

Do this in memory of me.

This is the new commandment of Jesus, as our feet are being washed. "Love one another as I have loved you." Often the choir will sing those words: Ubi caritas et amor, Deus ibi est. Where there is charity and love , God is ever there. Now in the washing we see how that Love becomes real. We see the body which is given up for us, we see the Blood being poured out for the forgiveness of our sins. We can taste and see in more senses than one, the Goodness of our God. Here is a God who like the Good Shepherd seeks me out when I am lost, then he gives of himself to be the food for my soul, a nourishment for my spirit. Holy Thursday is a day to experience, to employ all our senses.

I see the Goodness of my God

I taste the Sweetness of the Care and concern of my God

I feel secure in the Strength of our God

I know that I am not lost because God knows my rise and when I sit.

I smell the ugliness of sin, and the fragrant odour of forgiveness,

I feel the relief, I feel a load removed from my shoulders as Jesus says to me the words he said to the Sinful woman, "neither will I condemn you, go sin no more."

5. The Washing of the Feet is not merely limited to the 12 who are having their feet washed. It is not limited to my friends, my family, those I know. It is as large and as extended as I dare to go. It is an openness to the washing of all those who do not come on a regular basis, those I would love to see come to church and worship with us. It could extend to the troubled spots of the world, where there is constant war and violence, it is to those people who have lived continuously with the noise of bullets and bombs and other explosives. Today’s feet starts with the reluctance of Peter and our own reluctance: "You will never wash my feet" to an opennes under the love and influence of Jesus: "Not only my feet, but my whole body as well." - not only known and lovable parts of the Body of Christ - but also to those we find "smelly" - those unattractive, those who do not return our love, those live in a constant state of moodiness, anger and depression for reasons we do not know and perhaps will never know.

"Christ Jesus, though He was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, He emptied Himself, taking the form of a slave." Philippians 2:6