Day 38—Maundy Thursday, April 17, 2025

John 13:12-17, 31b-35

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."

Here we are in the midst of Holy Week, the most dramatic time of the Christian year.

In one week, we go from shouts of Hosanna, to holy confusion, to cries of “Crucify him!”, and finally to the joyous Alleluias of Easter. This week has its own pace, filled with distinct feelings. To reenact these feelings is a deeply spiritual experience for the faithful. Today we are at Maundy Thursday; the beginning of the Great Three Days of the Holy Week Triduum. For the days ahead to make sense, we need this night of tension, anxiety, and holy confusion. Jesus is up to something strange, and we ought to listen and watch carefully as tonight is simply act one of the great drama to unfold.

As explained by the Book of Common Worship, “Maundy Thursday (from mandatum, Latin for commandment) proclaims Jesus’ new commandment to love another as he has loved us. It celebrates Christ’s example of humble service and self-offering, represented in the washing of feet and sharing of communion.”

In the later verses of today’s scripture passage, we transition from the act of washing feet to the declaration of the “new commandment.” Jesus declares that his love for his disciples will be the defining mark of who they are as his followers. “Love one another, just as I have loved you.” It is a love that is sacrificial, unreserved, and unconditional. It is not a love based on emotions or fleeting affection, but a deep, rooted commitment that seeks the good of others at all costs.

Jesus also links this new commandment with his impending glorification. The gospel of John uses this language of the Son of Man being glorified in reference to the moment of his death on the cross. The greatest act of love will also be the moment of his greatest glory. God’s glory is revealed in the self-giving love of Christ. And through this love, the world will know that Jesus' followers are his disciples. It’s not our eloquent words, knowledge, or grand gestures that prove we belong to Christ. It is our love for one another, a love that mirrors his own.

What is the significance of this commandment for us today? As the Church, we are called to embody this radical love, one that is not merely felt, but acted upon. We are called to love those in our communities, our families, our workplaces, and even our enemies in the way that Christ has loved us. This is no small task. It requires humility, sacrifice, and a heart willing to serve, just as Jesus demonstrated. The washing of feet is the caring of somebody’s body, someone’s spirit, the flesh of someone’s life who dreams, desires, hopes—the fullness of someone’s life. This includes not only those who gather together in our own house of worship this week, but also the homeless of our city, the marginalized, the incarcerated—all people.

As we reflect on this passage and move through the days of the Triduum, we are invited to ask ourselves: How is my love reflecting the love of Christ? Is it a love that seeks the good of others, even at great personal cost? Do we show the same humility and grace that Jesus did when he washed the disciples' feet? And when we look at our relationships, do we embody the sacrificial love that Jesus demonstrated on the cross? Love is not a passive feeling; it is an active, intentional choice. It requires us to look beyond our own needs and interests and seek the good of others. It challenges us to forgive, to serve, and to be present with those in need. Jesus’ commandment is not just an ideal—it is the very way in which the world will come to know him because it is only after the washing of the feet that Good Friday and Easter Sunday will make sense. All you need is a towel, a basin and some water.

-Dillon J. Swanson