Part of our shared midweek Lenten Service series "The Church is: ..."
Ash Wednesday: "Liturgical"
Week 2: "catholic"
Week 3: "evangelical"
Week 4: "orthodox"
Week 5: "confessional"
Week 6: "apostolic"
Holy Thursday: "Sacramental"
Good Friday: "Cruciform"
Easter Sunday: "The One Holy Church"
John 13:1-15, 34-35
In the name of the Father and of the +Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.
It is the Thursday of holy week. It is Our Lord’s last night on earth before He will face the cross, and there He goes as always doing earthly things that have a heavenly point. His disciples as usual miss the point. He washes their feet, and yet He’s talking about something else. “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward [after My resurrection] you will understand.” Peter realizes how ridiculous this is for your master, your teacher, to act like the lowest servant in the house by washing your feet. He tries to safeguard His Lord’s dignity, saying, “You shall never wash my feet. You are more important than this.” But Our Lord responds, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.” Clearly, this is not just about foot washing. Our Lord is talking about the cleanness of your sins forgiven. Those who hang on to their sins, who do not yield them to the Lord, who will not be served by Him, washed by Him, are unclean. They have no part in Him. For He is a sponge which sucks not only your sin but you yourself into Him through the sacrament of Holy Baptism. You are part of Him. Part of His body. Part of the Church. For the Church is sacramental.
Ash Wednesday: "Liturgical"
Week 2: "catholic"
Week 3: "evangelical"
Week 4: "orthodox"
Week 5: "confessional"
Week 6: "apostolic"
Holy Thursday: "Sacramental"
Good Friday: "Cruciform"
Easter Sunday: "The One Holy Church"
John 13:1-15, 34-35
In the name of the Father and of the +Son and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.
It is the Thursday of holy week. It is Our Lord’s last night on earth before He will face the cross, and there He goes as always doing earthly things that have a heavenly point. His disciples as usual miss the point. He washes their feet, and yet He’s talking about something else. “What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward [after My resurrection] you will understand.” Peter realizes how ridiculous this is for your master, your teacher, to act like the lowest servant in the house by washing your feet. He tries to safeguard His Lord’s dignity, saying, “You shall never wash my feet. You are more important than this.” But Our Lord responds, “If I do not wash you, you have no share with me.” Clearly, this is not just about foot washing. Our Lord is talking about the cleanness of your sins forgiven. Those who hang on to their sins, who do not yield them to the Lord, who will not be served by Him, washed by Him, are unclean. They have no part in Him. For He is a sponge which sucks not only your sin but you yourself into Him through the sacrament of Holy Baptism. You are part of Him. Part of His body. Part of the Church. For the Church is sacramental.
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