Day 32 – Washing feet

John 13:1-17

Now it was just before the Passover festival. Jesus knew that his time had come to depart from this world to go the Father. Having self-giving love for his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. Supper was taking place, and the devil had already put betrayal of Jesus into the heart of Judas, son of Simon Iscariot. Jesus knew that the Father had put everything into his hands, and that he came from God and was going to God, so he got up from supper, laid aside his robes and wrapped on an apron. Then he poured water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the apron that was wrapped around him. Then he came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, you are going to wash my feet?”

Jesus answered him, “You don’t know what I am doing now, but you will understand later.”

Peter said to him, “No, you will never wash my feet!”

Jesus replied, “If I don’t wash you, you have no part with me.”

Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not just my feet then, but my hands and my head!”

Jesus said to him, “Someone who has bathed their body only needs to have their feet washed to be completely clean. You are clean, but not all of you.” For he knew who was going to betray him; this is why he said, “You are not all clean.” So when he had washed their feet, put his robes back on, and sat down again, he said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? You call me, ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, because that is who I am. Now if I, the Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you should also wash one another’s feet. I have given you an example, so that you should do as I have done to you. Truly, truly I tell you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, good for you if you do them.

For reflection

How do you feel about Jesus washing feet like a servant? And how do you react to his call to do the same for others?