Devotionals
| A Holy Thursday
Message and Devotional Reading: John 12:5-20 The other day I walked past a store here in New York that specializes in feet. Now, living in a city that has a shop, store, or merchant that caters to every whim and fancy, the presence of this store did not surprise me; the surprise came from the small, hand-lettered sign in the window. "Free Foot Wash With Price of Foot Massage.", it said, and it affected me very much. I pondered it for a moment, peeked in the window and as I walked away, I thought of the Gospel of John, the 13th chapter, where Jesus washes the feet of his disciples. This incident, simple by the standards of the time, is infused with deep meaning, because it is Jesus that performs this humble task. Foot washing was, at the time, a hospitable custom, a way of making guests feel at ease, relieving their dry, dusty and hot feet from the stress of wearing simple, bare sandals in the hot Palestinian climate. It was performed by the servants in the house, and never by the host, who would supervise from nearby. So, this particular foot washing, performed by the host of this Passover dinner, was special. In so doing, Jesus illustrates by this act that He is the servant, He who comes to bear our burdens, heal our hurts, and to suffer for our sins. The supper itself, a traditional Passover feast, also takes on significance for us as Christians because it provides the liturgy of our Communion observance. This, whether you believe in the Real Presence of Christ in, through and between the elements of bread and wine, is an act that ties Christians together, all around the world. We are participating in the Last Supper every time we take Communion. On this Holy Thursday, the night we remember the Lord's final night, the Night He gave to us the celebration of the Eucharist, and yet another reminder of His mission..to Love and Serve us, until His return. Grace, mercy and peace, be with you all |