Reflection for Thursday of Holy Week - Maundy Thursday - in Covid-19 Land, 2020.

The Reading

John 13:1-17, 31-35 Common English Bible (CEB)

13 Before the Festival of Passover, Jesus knew that his time had come to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them fully.

² Jesus and his disciples were sharing the evening meal. The devil had already provoked Judas, Simon Iscariot’s son, to betray Jesus. ³ Jesus knew the Father had given everything into his hands and that he had come from God and was returning to God. ⁴ So he got up from the table and took off his robes. Picking up a linen towel, he tied it around his waist. ⁵ Then he poured water into a washbasin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel he was wearing. ⁶ When Jesus came to Simon Peter, Peter said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”

⁷ Jesus replied, “You don’t understand what I’m doing now, but you will understand later.”

⁸ “No!” Peter said. “You will never wash my feet!”

Jesus replied, “Unless I wash you, you won’t have a place with me.”

⁹ Simon Peter said, “Lord, not only my feet but also my hands and my head!”

¹⁰ Jesus responded, “Those who have bathed need only to have their feet washed, because they are completely clean. You disciples are clean, but not every one of you.” ¹¹ He knew who would betray him. That’s why he said, “Not every one of you is clean.”

¹² After he washed the disciples’ feet, he put on his robes and returned to his place at the table. He said to them, “Do you know what I’ve done for you? ¹³ You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and you speak correctly, because I am. ¹⁴ If I, your Lord and teacher, have washed your feet, you too must wash each other’s feet. ¹⁵ I have given you an example: Just as I have done, you also must do. ¹⁶ I assure you, servants aren’t greater than their master, nor are those who are sent greater than the one who sent them. ¹⁷ Since you know these things, you will be happy if you do them.

….

³¹ When Judas was gone, Jesus said, “Now the Human One^[a] has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. ³² If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify the Human One^[b] in himself and will glorify him immediately. ³³ Little children, I’m with you for a little while longer. You will look for me—but, just as I told the Jewish leaders, I also tell you now—‘Where I’m going, you can’t come.’

³⁴ “I give you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, so you also must love each other. ³⁵ This is how everyone will know that you are my disciples, when you love each other.”

1. John 13:31 Or Son of Man
2. John 13:32 Or Son of Man

Common English Bible (CEB)

Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible

Reflection

This day, the Thursday in Holy Week, is often called Maundy Thursday.

The term maundy comes from the Latin mandate or mandatum novum which means command or “new order or commandment.”

“Love each other. Just as I have loved you, so you also must love each other. ³⁵ This is how everyone will know that you are my disciples, when you love each other.”

This day for us at St. George’s has been about gathering for a simple meal, foot washing and Tenebrae – Service of Shadows.

We are still doing an online version of Tenebrae tonight at 7pm on our Facebook page.

So that leaves the meal and foot washing

For these it might be helpful to start with the end – the new commandment.

Which is not really that new

-         Jesus had been busy living this out throughout the John’s gospel.

Much of what he is doing here is reminding them of all that he has done and taking it further.

When he gathered with his disciples for this last meal, he was reminding them of all those meals he had taken part in with all the wrong people.

All those times he offered or accepted hospitality with those who were sick, sinners and tax collectors.

And each time he did this he had honoured and blessed them - those who were deemed outside God’s care and concern.

It was a subversive act and got him into lots of trouble.

When we are eventually allowed to gather around the table, we will join the disciples in remembering and re-enacting this subversive act – honouring and blessing all the wrong people.

I received an email from a friend this week who is using this time of lockdown to sort out some of his grandparents papers

He said that between 1909 and 1929 his dad’s parents taught in what were then called native schools in various remote places.

Against the backdrop of the ‘civilising mission’ the Department of Education they saw their strong Christian mission in terms of social justice

He writes that his grandfather was an astute and prolific writer, who was forever getting himself into trouble.

He was a staunch supporter of the Treaty of Waitangi and clashed with other native school teachers, especially during WWI, who believed it was not as important as ‘killing Germans;’

he was often ticked off by the Department for trying to extract from it more facilities for his community;

he argued with the inspectors over his (in their eyes) slack discipline (‘you must always make your requirements orders not requests; do not say “please be seated” but say “sit”);

and often got caught up in marae politics by supporting individuals he thought were subject to injustice.

As I read this I thought this is what it means to live what Jesus was doing with meals – standing with those the powerful and influential see as less than.

And it reminded me of Jesus washing his disciples feet.

He is the master, the rabbi

The disciples should wash his feet.

Instead he takes off his robe that represents his authority as a rabbi and demeans himself

Becoming the slave or servant

Less than

And promotes his disciples to the place of honoured guest.

He treats them with care and resect

Jesus says that is what it means to lead

That is what it means to love.

And the disciples struggled receive it

To understand it

The old ways were too ingrained.

I wonder after 2,000 years if we are any better.

My friends story would suggest not.

So here we are in lock down

Normally I would ask you to wash the feet of others

And ask questions like

·        Did you allow your feet to be washed?

o   what was that like for you?

o   or if you chose to not have your feet washed, what stopped you?

·        Did you wash another’s feet?

o   what was that like?

o   or if you chose not to, what stopped you?

But maybe this year the invitation is simply to reflect on what it means to love one another in lock down

·        What is the gift of this time?

·        Where might you struggle to receive this gift?

Infinite, intimate God;

this night you kneel before your friends

and wash our feet.

Bound together in your love, trembling,

we drink your cup and watch.

O God, take our minds and think through them,

take our lips and speak through them,

take our hearts and set them on fire with love for you,

and your world;

may your kingdom come.

Hear these prayers for your love’s sake. Amen

Be kind to yourself and others. Stay safe. Stay calm. Wash your hands.