This week’s readings are all from John chapter 13. Click here to see a full listing of each day’s reading and the full chapters for this week. Full readings of each day’s smaller segments of the readings will be posted on this site during the week.
Today's Reading
Just before the Passover Feast, Jesus knew that his time had come to depart from this world to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now loved them to the very end. 2 The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, that he should betray Jesus. 3 Because Jesus knew that the Father had handed all things over to him, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, 4 he got up from the meal, removed his outer clothes, took a towel and tied it around himself. 5 He poured water into the washbasin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to dry them with the towel he had wrapped around himself.
6 Then he came to Simon Peter. Peter said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” 7 Jesus replied, “You do not understand what I am doing now, but you will understand after these things.” 8 Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet!” Jesus replied, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.” 9 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, wash not only my feet, but also my hands and my head!” 10 Jesus replied, “The one who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean. And you disciples are clean, but not every one of you.” 11 (For Jesus knew the one who was going to betray him. For this reason he said, “Not every one of you is clean.”)
One of my favorite and sentimental moments... the humility and intimacy between Jesus and his disciples, the teacher and his followers. Something extra I found in my study notes clarifies the comparison with the coming of his death on the cross:
In the way that the cross was a humiliating and hard-to-swallow reality coming for Jesus, so is this act of service through cleansing the dirty feet of his disciples. The way it would be very difficult to accept and receive the sacrifice of Jesus's life, Peter's back-and-forth with Jesus shows the tension because of the almost shameful position for a rabbi, and Jesus's urge to Peter to accept it. It simply must be done to continue into the fullness of life because of this sacrificial gift.
How do I sometimes keep my dirty feet to myself, and refuse to allow the work of the cross to continue to sanctify my life, my faith, my journey, my walk??? Lord, may we recognize the weight of your offer from the cross and be filled with the fervor to "wash not only our feet, but our hands and head!" And then help us to accept the truth that you have already made forgiveness real; you have justified us. You have done the hard work and have named us as your children—we just need to bring the dirty pieces to you, in humble honesty, to continue in our sanctification.
