“JESUS' SACRAMENT CLEANS YOU”
Saint John 13: 1-15
Holy Thursday: 18 April Anno Domini 2019
Father Jay Watson SSP
It was correctly called the “Feast” of the Passover because those who believed in God’s Redeeming power and presence actually had a feast—a real, true, bodily, meal. They ate and drank to be sure, but they ate and drank what God had instituted—had commanded. God had said bitter herbs and roasted lamb—and that’s what they ate. Scholars inform us that the accompanying wine was so strong that it was mixed with a little water. Ponder that serendipitously sacramental flag.
While the Hebrews under Moses, Moses the Law-Bringer, the servant of the First Covenant, would be allowed to depart out of the prison house of bondage and the pagan dominion of Egypt by The Lord’s deliverance, this time, “on the night in which He was betrayed” “Jesus knew that His hour was come that He should depart out of this world unto The Father.” Christ was about to institute a Holy enduring Mystery by becoming The Servant, The Deliverer, and The very content, of The New Testament.
The Synoptic Evangelists, Sts. Matthew, Mark, and Luke give the detailed account of Jesus’ Institution of The Holy Sacrament. Saint John continues with an event which occurred after the eating and drinking had concluded. The Apostle whom Christ loved, shows all of you, what in fact Jesus does when you eat and drink His Body and Blood; shows you what He did when He loved The Father perfectly and loved all your neighbors (including Judas, Caiaphas, Herod, Pilate, and the Romans who nailed Him to wood) perfectly.
He washes your sweating, grimy, stinking feet. God washes your feet.
The Lord would not do this if it were not necessary. The “12” His called and chosen Disciples had all been baptized. They all believed He was The Messiah of God. They all vowed to follow Him to prison or death rather than forsake Him. They were believing Christians as YOU are believing Christians, “little Christs,” followers of The Way!
They were also sinners in thought, word, and deed. They also had “old Adam” corruption in their hearts that would daily erupt, fester, and produce the thorns of trespasses. This is you as well.
On Holy Thursday evening Peter and the others did not need to have their whole bodies washed—Baptized—with water, for they already belonged to The Master. But they did need to have their sins forgiven. They needed absolution but not just in an “airy” cavalierly tossed off sentence of “things being okay” because God is love. No. They needed the actual, real, true, and bodily enfleshment of that forgiveness. They needed to see it, hear it, feel it, and, as they had already received in The Sacrament, they needed to smell and taste it as well!
If you want to know what happens when you come to Private/Individual confession and absolution (The Sacrament of Remission), THAT is what happens—you have your foul-smelling feet washed clean that you might walk out of The Church fresh, virginal, and restored. If you want to know what will happen in a few short minutes when you come to the altar-rail to be fed God’ Body and Blood, THAT is what happens—you have your feculent, foul, and malodorous feet scrubbed clean by the Water and Blood from Jesus’ hands, feet, back, head, and heart. Your cloven hoofs are washed so clean in The Supper of God that they again are “counted” towards you as angelic shining feet of the brothers and sisters of Christ.
No, Simon would not have his head washed that evening, nor will you. Jesus had His precious Head washed with His innocent and precious Blood as the crown of thorns bit deep. Peter and all of you will exit, Exodus, this Church tonight, once again free from bondage and captivity because The Lord went into the jail of Satan on Calvary’s torture chamber to suffer and die for your sins. You will have your feet washed clean and you will be clothed with the white shining clothes of God Himself. The garments which He “laid aside” to do the work which had to be done, which you don’t do, will be laid upon you. The finest hose and purest linen of righteousness will cover your feet as you are given to step into Christ’s sandals, and trod the path of Righteousness—which is to be “IN HIM” by faith.
Holy Thursday, a Thursday in time and space which has been set apart, sanctified, and made, indeed, Holy, by The Holy One and His miracle of changing bread and wine into His bodily, Body and Blood, to be eaten and drunk with the bodily mouths of His Holy Ones, is now more commonly called Maundy Thursday. The word in Latin is mandatum and means “command,” this do. It specifically refers to Christ’s commission command to the “12” and their successors to “wash the feet” of the sheep, even as they have had their feet washed by The Good Shepherd. It would become crystal clear on Easter Evening when the Resurrected Lord would breath on them and place them in “His stead” and by “His command” to bind and loose.
Jesus’ love from Him, through His Word, through His Word stewarded by His called-ones, gives Jesus. When you receive Jesus, you receive God. You receive peace and the promise of a Resurrected endless glory. It’s real. It’s true. It’s bodily. It will be eaten and drunk. The “example” on your tongues.
In the Name of the Father and + of the Son and of The Holy Ghost
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