Holy Thursday reflection by Josephite Affiliate Bernadette Wrafter

Love one another as I have loved you.

John 13:34

I have always wondered why, in describing what
occurred on the evening before the crucifixion, the
writer of John’s Gospel speaks of Jesus washing
the feet of those who were at table with him and not
of the meal itself, not of the instigation of Eucharist
– the breaking of bread and sharing of wine – “the
Last Supper”, described in each of the synoptic
Gospels. This Gospel differs from the synoptics in
other respects, the meal shared is not a Passover
meal, and is attended by the disciples of Jesus, his
followers, not exclusively by the chosen twelve. (Matt
26:20, Mark 14:17; Luke 22:3,30)

And again, I ponder why the washing of the feet is
the central action of the events occurring around
the meal on that evening. Washing of feet before a
meal was common practice at the time with a slave
bringing a bowl of water and guests washing their
own feet.1

Jesus chooses to wash the feet of his disciples
“those he had always loved and were his in the
world.” (John 13:1) Not surprisingly, this action
is often understood as an example of servant
leadership, where the person with power and
authority takes the role of servant to those he or
she is leading. Jesus’ own words support this
understanding to an extent, “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 should do what I have done to
you.” (John 13:14-15)

However, I think there is another meaning which can
be given to Jesus’ washing of the disciples’ feet.

That is, that it is a demonstration of the second gift2
which Jesus gives his disciples that evening, the gift
of the New Commandment. Jesus says “I give you
a new commandment, love one another. As I have
loved you, so you also should love one another.
This is how all will know that you are my disciples,
if you have love for one another.” (John 13: 34-35)

This second gift is not part of the readings for Holy
Thursday but falls within Chapter 13 and interestingly
comes immediately after Judas leaves the gathering.
This new commandment is the centrepiece of what
occurs on Holy Thursday in John’s Gospel, with the
washing of the feet being a manifestation of it. It is
the essence of Jesus’ ministry succinctly reduced to
a single line “As I have loved you, so you also should
love one another”, and further this is how you will be
identified as followers of mine.

This requirement to love as Jesus loved is not always
easy. We walk with God, we share Eucharist, we
learn patience, we listen deeply until understanding
of sorts dawns and we cultivate an openness to what
the other might be teaching us. It often requires that
we hold conflicting ideas in tension as we live into
their reality or hold people at arms’ length until the
light gets in and we begin to see things from their
perspective.

May this Holy Thursday remind us of the gift of
the commandment to love one another and may
the Eucharist we share during this Easter period
nourish us on this journey. Pope John Paul II wrote
“The service of others is the criterion by which
the authenticity of our Eucharist is judged’ (Mane
Nobiscum Domine, 28).3 Perhaps we could equally
say that the love of others is the criterion by which
our Eucharist is judged.

Bernadette Wrafter

Josephite Affiliate