Thoughts for the Day

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. I am not speaking of all of you; I know whom I have chosen. But it is to fulfil the scripture, “The one who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.” I tell you this now, before it occurs, so that when it does occur, you may believe that I am he. Very truly, I tell you, whoever receives one whom I send receives me; and whoever receives me receives him who sent me.’

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

When I was seventeen years old I joined the WRAF and ended up working for the then Air Officer Commanding in Chief Bomber Command as his Secretary. I knew him as a man with more 'scrambled egg' (gold braid) on his uniform than anyone else, a habit of kicking his enormously heavy door shut, one who gave his young secretary a chicken (dead) for a Christmas present, and when she left to get married a signed photo of himself! You will gather I was not terribly impressed! The one odd exception was when he and two other senior officers served their personal staff with their Christmas dinner! Definitely out of character and definitely odd, I thought!

Today's passage of scripture takes place during the Last Supper, the final meal Jesus was to share with his disciples before his crucifixion, and a meal in which Jesus was to wash his disciples' feet taking on the customary job of the lowest servant or slave. If I had found it strange for my boss to serve me food at my Christmas dinner, what must it have felt like for those disciples to have Jesus, their Messiah and the Son of God, washing their feet?

But more than that those present included Judas Iscariot, who would shortly betray Jesus, an action which would ultimately lead to Jesus' crucifixion. Yet, knowing the pain and suffering that awaited him, Jesus still shared this meal with the one who would betray him. This scene sheds light on Jesus' willingness to walk the path ordained for him, while still offering his love, compassion, and forgiveness to Judas. It should remind us that Jesus keeps the door open to us as well no matter how often we let him down, or deny him!

Lord Jesus Christ,
You washed Your disciples' feet
while knowing what lay ahead -
that they would deny knowing You.
You celebrated the feast with one who would betray You,
and kept the door open for his change of heart.
May we remember that You offer us forgiveness,
and that it is never too late to confess our sin.
Amen.