Love

Now before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. The devil had already put it into the heart of Judas son of Simon Iscariot to betray him. And during supper Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God, got up from the table, took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was tied around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, ‘Lord, are you going to wash my feet?’ Jesus answered, ‘You do not know now what I am doing, but later you will understand.’ Peter said to him, ‘You will never wash my feet.’ Jesus answered, ‘Unless I wash you, you have no share with me.’ Simon Peter said to him, ‘Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!’ Jesus said to him, ‘One who has bathed does not need to wash, except for the feet, but is entirely clean. And you are clean, though not all of you.’ For he knew who was to betray him; for this reason he said, ‘Not all of you are clean.’ After he had washed their feet, had put on his robe, and had returned to the table, he said to them, ‘Do you know what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord—and you are right, for that is what I am. So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you. Very truly, I tell you, servants are not greater than their master, nor are messengers greater than the one who sent them. If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them. When he had gone out, Jesus said, ‘Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me; and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, “Where I am going, you cannot come.” I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.’ (John 13:1-17,31-35 NRSV)

Maundy Thursday is the start of the Three Days that lead us to Easter…

We get the institution of the sacrament of the altar, or Holy Communion, or Eucharist. Giving thanks for the great sacrifice we have received from our Lord.

But today is also the day of the new commandment… Maundy comes from the Latin word for commandment. We are commanded to love one another. Jesus does not say to the disciples, “if you feel like it, show some love.” Nor does He say, “love those who do everything you like.”. You see Jesus had just washed the feet of the disciples, all of the disciples. That included Judas, who John paints as the bad guy. Jesus washed the feet of the man who handed Him over to be killed.

You see Jesus in the final meal with His students, He becomes the low one and takes on the role of slave, or servant and serves all. Those who did not understand His ways, or do things as He hoped they would. He washed the feet of Peter, who objected, and tomorrow will deny Him. The disciples were not the sharpest bunch, but Jesus served them and loved them.

We see in this we do not have to agree with, understand, like, or do what others do, but we do have to love them. We have to love them as Jesus loved us. He accepted us as we were…