A Reflection for Maundy Thursday

On The Washing of Feet

Apr 06, 2023

Hello, dear friend.

I usually don’t show up in your inbox until Friday mornings, and I will tomorrow, but I shared some words on social media this morning about Maundy Thursday and I felt led by the Spirit to share them here with you, too. So, here they are along with a few Maundy Thursday resources and a blessing. May this bless you and keep you on this most holy and sacred day.

Today is what’s known as Maundy Thursday in the church calendar. The day that commemorates Jesus washing the feet of His disciples and The Last Supper where He broke the bread and gave of the cup. It’s the day before that dark, sacred day that we know as Good Friday. The Friday when the Savior died a brutal death so that He could rise and be with us again.

I’ve been meditating on John 13:4–5 this morning where Jesus got up from the table, wrapped a towel around His waist, filled a basin full of water, and bowed low to wash His disciples’ feet.

“No”, said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.” (v. 8)

What an interesting reaction to such a tender act of love. But it’s one I know well — this pushing away of Love and intimacy as the Lord comes close and I resist, feeling too unworthy, too dirty, to be washed by such holy hands.

Jesus answered him, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”

Unless we let Him love us, we won’t be able to live from love. We won’t know love, we won’t know Him, we won’t know ourselves or be able to love other souls well.

Allowing Jesus to wash our feet is an invitation toward the deepest kind of intimacy. One that heals and restores and washes completely clean that which keeps us from seeing Him. One that leads to this emptying and breaking open so that we can live in wholeness.

So that we can wash the feet of others because when we choose to bow low and love other souls, it’s really Jesus we’re choosing to love. Loving His image in each face we see, that’s the ultimate commission.

So Jesus, help us receive the washing of our feet as your holy hands heal and make it all clean. And may we give the love we have been given, washing the feet of everyone we see because when we wash their feet, it’s you we’re truly glorifying.

Amen.

Peace be with you,
Celia

Resources for Maundy Thursday

This morning, I very much enjoyed this Maundy Thursday reflection from The Daily Still Podcast. It was very powerful, entering into The Last Supper and The Garden of Gethsemane with Jesus. Listen here: The Last Supper — Holy Thursday

The Discerning Leader Podcast has also been talking about Holy Week. And today, they released a new episode that walks you through Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Easter Sunday. Listen here: Reengaging the Passion

My Sacred Ordinary Days planner provides a lectionary for Maundy Thursday and all the days in Holy Week. A lectionary is a set of specific Scripture passages that are typically read during church services throughout specific times of the year. Here is today’s lectionary if you’d like to read along and meditate on them with the Holy Spirit:

Exodus 12:1—14
Psalm 116:1—2, 12—19
1 Corinthians 11:23—26
John 13:1—17, 31—35