“Humble acts of love”
By Rev. Michael Stonhouse
Meditation – Thursday, April 17, 2025
John 13: 1-17, 31b-35 (Forward p. 78) CEV p. 1119
It is incredible how simple photos can generate, can elicit, such a diverse range of responses. Recently there has been a post, a photo, of Pope Francis seemingly blessing a newborn. (From the photo, it is difficult to know exactly what he is doing.) But what has garnered all the attention is that he is not on his papal throne, nor is he dressed in his ecclesiastical robes or finery. He is dressed simply, as befits a humble servant of God—which, in fact, is most appropriate, for that indeed is who he is.
In this he takes after our Lord Jesus Christ, especially as Jesus is depicted in today’s reading. In a lowly and humble act of service Jesus willingly takes upon Himself the lowest and most despised task possible, that of a household slave. In a world that wore bare-toed sandals--or less--washing a person’s feet was a despicable, degrading, and much-avoided task, for the feet could well be muddy or dirty or dusty at best or speckled with manure or pus or blood at worst. And yet, Jesus willingly takes on this role, and tells us to do likewise, to follow His humble example of service to one another. Indeed, that is His command, to love one another, just as He has loved us.
Now, herein lies a problem. We are quite happy to love in the abstract, to love in theory, but in practice, well, that’s another thing. To love others in the way that Jesus means is to act in a loving, humble, respectful manner towards each other, willing, wanting, and working towards what is ultimately best for that person. Sad to say, I haven’t always seen this, no, not even in the church. Far too often I have seen hostility and viciousness, fears and hatred, and naked ambition, political gamesmanship, and maneuvering, all among people who ‘claim’ to love one another. So much for washing each other’s feet: it’s more like bashing them about the head! How far we have departed, and much we need to learn from, and heed, Jesus’ own example.
And so, my prayer is: “Please, Jesus, help us to do better and be more like you.”
Forward notes: “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” (verse 6b).
“Foot washing services on Maundy Thursday always make me feel close to Jesus. Hearing this exchange from the Gospel of John between Peter and Jesus and then bending down to wash a fellow parishioner’s feet transports me to that upper room at the table with him.
“When my mother was dying, I found that the most comforting thing I could do for her was to massage her hands and her feet with beautiful-smelling cream. Though unconscious, her furrowed brow seemed to soften, and I was blessed.
“After giving the disciples a new commandment to love one another, Jesus told his friends: ‘By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.’ Though we may not be able to wash feet or massage hands, we can honour Jesus’s life and death by figuratively taking his towel and bathing the world’s wounds in his name.”
“’Are you going to wash my feet?’ the world will say.”
Moving Forward: “Where can you bathe the world’s wounds this day?”
A concluding note: Today’s author suggests that we should bathe the world’s wounds, but is this realistic when we can’t (or won’t) even do this for each other in the church—which was Jesus’ original audience there in that Upper Room? But then, maybe, we find it easier to minister in this way with people with whom we don’t share an attachment or intimacy. Maybe it’s easier to show love, to act lovingly, to a complete stranger with whom we have no lasting ties or responsibility? Something to think about.