Holy Thursday: “Defeat to Liberation”

Exodus: 12: 1-14 Ps. 116 1 Cor. 11:23-26 John 13: 1-15

1. When the children in Guyana would describe the parts of the body, it would bring a smile to my lips. De hed (the head) de hans (the hands) and defeet (defeat). I think of defeat to liberation on Holy Thursday. The Gospel describes a scene where Jesus does what only a slave would do. The slave would wash the feet of the master or visitors as they came into the house. He would sit at the entrance and the master would come in, remove his sandals and wait for his feet to be washed and dried. He would then enter the house. The slave was never noticed unless he did not splash enough water, or he did not dry the feet well enough. Then he would get a knock on the side of his head.

2. Today, Jesus is at the feet of his disciple. The master is at the feet of his pupils. How embarrassing! No wonder, Peter would say “never”. But what a blessing to he at the feet of Jesus, or Jesus to be at our feet!

Being at the feet of Jesus

For the sinful woman, it meant forgiveness

For the woman with a haemorrhage, it was healing

For the many who were laid at the feet of Jesus, it meant cure.

For all of us, it is Joy. The psalm says, “how happy the sound of the feet on the mountain, that bring us good news.”

3. And then we think of tomorrow: Good Friday. The same feet will be nailed to the Cross – forever in one place. Those feet took him all over Galilee. They went and he brought healing, he brought the good news to the poor, he brought hope to

the outcast,

the lepers,

the Samaritan woman,

the woman caught in adultery,

the thief who was crucified with him “this day you will be with me in paradise.”

4. On this Holy Thursday, we think  “what did those Sacred Feet” bring to us today, during this Lenten season. We think –“Where did my own feet take me?”

To visit the sick

To bring bread and soup to the hungry and thirsty

To visit a relative or loved one in the Hospital, home for the aged.

We also think of our own tired feet. They pain with arthritis, with standing in line at the food bank, or all day begging outside a coffee shop, or visiting the employment office with the hope of a job opportunity. Perhaps those feet at sore standing all day behind a cash register in a bank, a food store, a crossing guard helping children across the street.

Lord bless these feet of mine and take “de feet” to healing forgiveness and joy.