Before the feast of Passover, Jesus knew that His hour had come to pass from this world to the Father. ...The devil had already induced Judas, son of Simon the Iscariot, to hand Him over. So, during supper, fully aware that the Father had put everything into His power and that He had come from God and was returning to God, He rose from supper and took off His outer garments. He took a towel and tied it around His waist. Then He poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and dry them with the towel around His waist. He came to Simon Peter, who said to Him, "Master, are You going to wash my feet?" Jesus answered and said to him, "What I am doing, you do not understand now, but you will understand later." Peter said to Him, "You will never wash my feet." Jesus answered him, "Unless I wash you, you will have no inheritance with Me." Simon Peter said to Him, "Master, then not only my feet, but my hands and head as well." Jesus said to him, "Whoever has bathed has no need except to have his feet washed, for he is clean all over; so you are clean, but not all." For He knew who would betray Him; for this reason, He said, "Not all of you are clean."

So when He had washed their feet [and] put His garments back on and reclined at table again, He said to them, "Do you realize what I have done for you? You call Me ‘teacher’ and ‘master,’ and rightly so, for indeed I am. If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another’s feet. I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do."

John the beloved disciple recorded here that at their last meal together, on this night before Jesus was to die, Jesus loved all His followers completely – that is, to death, the limit of love’s perfection. Our First Reading, from the Book of Exodus, gives the regulations for the Passover supper. Today’s Gospel took place when the Lord’s Passover supper had hardly begun, and when it was still the proper time for ablutions. To wash the feet of another was considered at that time so lowly that it couldn’t be demanded even of a slave. Jesus reached the heights of heroism when, even knowing of the betrayal, He washed Judas’ feet. And the one who protested the washing of the feet wasn’t Judas, but Peter! Peter was still impulsive, but had by now grown into a degree of humility. Judas said nothing.

Jesus’ request at the Last Supper, that we do this in memory of Him, is among the most poignant of His statements in the entire New Testament. It’s difficult to interpret His command, which we repeat at the Eucharistic celebration right after the consecration: "Do this in memory of Me. "But it’s as though Jesus said, "Remember Me, and all that I’ve said and done in your presence. Remember My love. If at first some people don’t understand, have them remember the yearnings of all people’s heart and the need to express their love. And I hope all of you will remember that I love you so much that I’m giving all I have, My very blood, for you."

SOURCE: "366 Days with the Lord," ST PAULS, 7708 St. Paul Rd., SAV, Makati City (Phils.); Tel.: 895-9701; Fax 895-7328; E-mail: publishing@stpauls.ph; Website: http://www.stpauls.ph.