Holy Thursday

Holy Thursday Jesus washes the feet of His apostles and celebrates the Last Supper with them. It is the institution of the Holy Eucharist and the priesthood. Jesus shows the apostles and for next thousands of years, until today, the Church will be given His true Body and Blood by the priesthood daily. Jesus is the Passover sacrifice, the spotless lamb that will be sacrificed for all sinners. When Jesus washes the feet of the apostles he is cleansing the first priests and bishops to takeover the priesthood as He will be crucified, resurrected and ascended into Heaven.

There's so much to talk about here! The washing of feet seems so trivial, but it's really profound, if we truly think about it. Have you ever let someone wash your feet? It's actually very humbling. You feel pretty vulnerable and almost embarrassed. It seems so simple, but there's such a profound exchange of communication between the two parties. Do you think that when one party is empty of pride and humble that it has more room to receive from the giver? Being a nurse, I have actually washed many feet. But, every time it has been a profound moment. If a person is in need of someone washing their feet, they are pretty compromised. Whether it's due to physical limitations or sickness the person is in a humbled state. How do you think the apostles were compromised? The person washing the feet is showing an act of compassion and love. Even if it is their job, they have had some sort of compassion for others or they wouldn't be doing an occupation that helped take care of others. So there's a person who needs help and a person who has volunteered an act of charity. Think of what the wordless act of washing feet communicates to each of these parties involved. What do you believe the apostles were thinking? Do you think it made them feel any different about Jesus than what they already felt?

About ten years ago I had a patient that most nurses didn't want to take care of. He was morbidly obese and actually quite young. He was depressed due to his limitations which caused him to treat people badly. I remember being a bit upset when I saw him on my assignment sheet and even left him to last to visit on my rounds. But, God had a lesson for me that day, that I will never forget. When I was washing this man's feet, God came into me and showed me some of this man's "walk". He showed me how hard his life had been and how people judged him because of his weight. God infused love and compassion into me and I took time and such care that this man's demeanor started to change. By the time I left his room we were joking around and laughing. Several nurses noticed and asked me, "How did you get him to be so nice to you?" I just smiled and said, "I washed his feet."

Small acts of kindness can move mountains! Jesus has done so many small and great acts of love and kindness to us for thousands of years now!!! Things he did this week two thousand years ago, we are literally still reaping the benefits from! God is timeless and everlasting! I don't know if the man still feels the same way about my act of kindness that God did through me. But, I do know that it gave me a new understanding and I am still reaping the benefits of washing that man's feet ten years later!