To hear the sermon see (
https://soundcloud.com/tigerowl/lent5clc)
This
is the second time in two weeks that I’ve had to preach on foot washing. Last Saturday, I preached at the Ordination
of Rev. Barbara Alice Hayden. Barbara
was a Student seeking ordination through the Alternate Route to Ordination Track. I was both the Program Director and her
Advisor. Unlike some students who take
3-4 years or more to complete the alternate route program, she completed it in
less than three years. It must be said
she had a couple of advantages. Her
employment was at the church she was serving; unlike some others who were
working full time jobs and serving a congregation in their “spare” time, and
taking courses to fulfill the requirements of the church.
Her
lesson was from the next chapter in John and it is the foot washing that we
will encounter on Maundy Thursday.
John 13:
3-15, 20
3 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his
power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; 4 so
he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel
around his waist. 5 After that, he poured water
into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the
towel that was wrapped around him.
6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to
wash my feet?”
7 Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but
later you will understand.”
8 “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.”
Jesus
answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”
9 “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands
and my head as well!”
10 Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash
their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every
one of you.” 11 For he knew who was going to betray
him, and that was why he said not everyone was clean.
How
many of you have had your feet washed?
It’s really a silly question, as most of us wash our feet every time we
take a bath or a shower. But how often
have we had someone else wash our feet?
There have been a couple of occasions where I have both had my feet
washing on Maundy Thursday and a time or two when I have done the foot
washing. It is a humbling feeling to be
in either position. When it’s done as a
part of the worship service there are both the moments of seriousness and
sometime hilarity. It is humbling to
take someone’s foot in your hand and pour water on it and then to take a towel
and dry the foot and the toes and there is an intimacy of drying between the
toes. There are times too, when one
laughs when someone comes with stockings that cannot easily be removed and then
there is a much more gentle approach to the washing that the foot and its
covering.
But
there are also times of true care, which is the art of playing the host in a Middle
Eastern home when a guest arrives. We no
longer wear sandals or go bare foot in our daily lives. Then foot washing was a way of greeting a
visitor and encouraging them to take part in your home’s hospitality. We now offer people access to the restroom.to
take care of their needs alone. Yet I am
a part of a cadre of people who must see a doctor on occasion with my
diabetes. My podiatrist has the honor of
treating and inspecting my feet in a way that reminds me of the images I have
of how Jesus was treated as he made his way toward Jerusalem. My doctor is taking care of me to prevent
death. Mary in many ways is preparing
Jesus for his death.
Feet
are terribly important. Even now with
cars and public transportation, our feet still are the first thing that hits the
floor in the morning. On Sundays our
feet guide us into this sanctuary. In
the time when we baptize we say in many ways that we choose to walk in the path
of Christ or that we will teach our children to walk in the path of
Christ. In attending a baptism for a
friend who was Greek Orthodox, the child in a baptismal gown was even immersed
in a deep baptismal font feet first, up to and over his head.
For
last week’s sermon for ordination I called the time of her education, a time
when we washed her feet with the hospitality of education about the faith. Now that may sound like a big leap, but in
many ways, we are all learning what it means to be a child of God. For in this Lenten season we have asked you
to pray on Wednesday as a part of the Lenten discipline. We have offered the church on Fridays or any
other day to be a place where you could come to walk the Stations of the Cross. This time with God is facilitated by our
feet, for they bring us to this place.
It is a time and place for us to be in spiritual contact with God who
has saved us, the God who loves us and the God who protects us. We too could use a little foot washing in
this place of hospitality.
We,
that is members of the congregation, will be offered some lessons of
faith. We will be a part of an expanding
process of choosing a new pastoral leader in this parish. There are some tasks that could use some
additional support. You may be asked to
learn a new skill, or take on a new responsibility, where there may be a need
for training. That may be the time when
you are called upon to have your feet washed in learning about these new
endeavors.
In
learning something new, we too have to be willing to dip our toes into the
water of new learning. We may need to
see if this water of new learning is warm to our touch or maybe it doesn’t soot
our need, our skills or our desires. But
that does not mean that you are to be ignored.
You may have to volunteer to be a part of a new endeavor or an old
project.
I
would like to say that you can come on in the water is fine. But I know better. We too may wonder about the cost. There are never any guarantees, but like
Mary, she was willing to give the task at hand the best she had to offer, and
even that was criticized. Mary brought
her best to the foot washing. We are
asked to bring our best to the table, for God has given us his best to be our
servant and our guide. As we get ready
to enter into Holy Week, let us take stock once more about where our feet are
going. Let us guide our steps in the way
that Christ would have us walk. Let us
be willing to lighten the load of others who are working with us in the
church. And Lord, prepare us to come
together to be able to wash the feet of one another, in humbleness and with
grace.
AMEN.
