Dom Helder Camara, Through the Gospel, p. 135
Sheila Cassidy, “Holy Thursday,” Sharing the Darkness, p. 49-56
Thomas R. Haney, “The Miraculous Veil,” Today’s Spirituality, p. 138
“The Miraculous Veil”
Barbara Brown Taylor, An Altar in the World, p. 44
An Altar in the World
Wow. How did you get that scar? Does it hurt when I touch it? No, really, they’re not ugly. You should see mine. Yours just have a few more miles on them. Do you ever feel like you can’t go any further? Like you just want to stop right here and let this be it? I know, I can’t stop either. It’s weird, isn’t it? You follow him and you follow him, thinking that any minute now the sky is going to crack open, and you’re going to see the face of God. Then he hands you his basin and his towel, and it turns out that it’s all about feet, you know? Yours, mine, his. Feet, for God’s sake.
Edward Schillebeeckx, “Not on Your Life!,” God Among Us, p. 63-68
Jean Vanier, “The Washing of the Feet,” We Need Each Other, p. 115-123
Imaging the Word, Vol. 3, p. 182
1-14 Mark 8:29-38
5 Psalm 60:8
8 Mark 8:32
10 John 15:3
12-17 Mark 10:43-45; Luke 22:24-27
13-17 Egerton 2r
16 Matthew 10:24; Luke 6:40; John 15:15 & 20
18 Psalm 41:9
20 Matthew 10:40; Mark 9:37; Luke 9:48, 10:16
4-8 George Ella Lyon, “The Foot Washing,” Divine Inspiration, p. 383
“The Foot Washing”
“I wouldn’t take the bread and wine if I didn’t wash feet.” OLD REGULAR BAPTIST
They kneel on the slanting floor
before feet white as roots,
humble as tree stumps.
Men before men
women before women
to soothe the sourness
bound in each other’s journeys.
Corns, calluses, bone knobs
all received and rinsed
given back clean
to Sunday shoes and hightops.
This is how they prepare for the Lord’s Supper,
singing and carrying a towel
and a basin of water,
praying while kids put soot
in their socks—almost as good
as nailing someone in the outhouse.
Jesus started it: He washed feet
after Magdalen dried His ankles
with her hair. “If I wash thee not,
thou hast no part with me.”
All servants, they bathe
fresh warped to its balance.
God the rootwad,
Lord of the bucket in the well.
4-8 Jacobus Revius, “Foot-Washing,” Divine Inspiration, p. 382
5 Malcolm Muggeridge, Jesus: The Man Who Lives, p. 150-152
20 John Dominic Crossan, The Historical Jesus, p. 348
1 Now before the feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. 2 And during supper, when the devil had already put it into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon’s son, to betray him, 3 Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God, 4 rose from supper, laid aside his garments, and girded himself with a towel. 5 Then he poured water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel with which he was girded. 6 He came to Simon Peter; and Peter said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?” 7 Jesus answered him, “What I am doing you do not know now, but afterward you will understand.” 8 Peter said to him, “You shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part in me.” 9 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” 10 Jesus said to him, “He who has bathed does not need to wash, except for his feet, but he is clean all over; and you are clean, but not every one of you.” 11 For he knew who was to betray him; that was why he said, “You are not all clean.”
12 When he had washed their feet, and taken his garments, and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? 13 You call me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you. 16 Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master; nor is he who is sent greater than he who sent him. 17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them. 18 I am not speaking of you all; I know whom I have chosen; it is that the scripture may be fulfilled, ‘He who ate my bread has lifted his heel against me.’ 19 I tell you this now, before it takes place, that when it does take place you may believe that I am he. 20 Truly, truly, I say to you, he who receives any one whom I send receives me; and he who receives me receives him who sent me.”
13:1 προ δε της εορτης του πασχα ειδως ο ιησους οτι εληλυθεν αυτου η ωρα ινα μεταβη εκ του κοσμου τουτου προς τον πατερα αγαπησας τους ιδιους τους εν τω κοσμω εις τελος ηγαπησεν αυτους 13:2 και δειπνου γενομενου του διαβολου ηδη βεβληκοτος εις την καρδιαν ιουδα σιμωνος ισκαριωτου ινα αυτον παραδω 13:3 ειδως ο ιησους οτι παντα δεδωκεν αυτω ο πατηρ εις τας χειρας και οτι απο θεου εξηλθεν και προς τον θεον υπαγει 13:4 εγειρεται εκ του δειπνου και τιθησιν τα ιματια και λαβων λεντιον διεζωσεν εαυτον 13:5 ειτα βαλλει υδωρ εις τον νιπτηρα και ηρξατο νιπτειν τους ποδας των μαθητων και εκμασσειν τω λεντιω ω ην διεζωσμενος 13:6 ερχεται ουν προς σιμωνα πετρον και λεγει αυτω εκεινος κυριε συ μου νιπτεις τους ποδας 13:7 απεκριθη ιησους και ειπεν αυτω ο εγω ποιω συ ουκ οιδας αρτι γνωση δε μετα ταυτα 13:8 λεγει αυτω πετρος ου μη νιψης τους ποδας μου εις τον αιωνα απεκριθη αυτω ο ιησους εαν μη νιψω σε ουκ εχεις μερος μετ εμου 13:9 λεγει αυτω σιμων πετρος κυριε μη τους ποδας μου μονον αλλα και τας χειρας και την κεφαλην 13:10 λεγει αυτω ο ιησους ο λελουμενος ου χρειαν εχει η τους ποδας νιψασθαι αλλ εστιν καθαρος ολος και υμεις καθαροι εστε αλλ ουχι παντες 13:11 ηδει γαρ τον παραδιδοντα αυτον δια τουτο ειπεν ουχι παντες καθαροι εστε
13:12 οτε ουν ενιψεν τους ποδας αυτων και ελαβεν τα ιματια αυτου αναπεσων παλιν ειπεν αυτοις γινωσκετε τι πεποιηκα υμιν 13:13 υμεις φωνειτε με ο διδασκαλος και ο κυριος και καλως λεγετε ειμι γαρ 13:14 ει ουν εγω ενιψα υμων τους ποδας ο κυριος και ο διδασκαλος και υμεις οφειλετε αλληλων νιπτειν τους ποδας 13:15 υποδειγμα γαρ εδωκα υμιν ινα καθως εγω εποιησα υμιν και υμεις ποιητε 13:16 αμην αμην λεγω υμιν ουκ εστιν δουλος μειζων του κυριου αυτου ουδε αποστολος μειζων του πεμψαντος αυτον 13:17 ει ταυτα οιδατε μακαριοι εστε εαν ποιητε αυτα 13:18 ου περι παντων υμων λεγω εγω οιδα ους εξελεξαμην αλλ ινα η γραφη πληρωθη ο τρωγων μετ εμου τον αρτον επηρεν επ εμε την πτερναν αυτου 13:19 απ αρτι λεγω υμιν προ του γενεσθαι ινα οταν γενηται πιστευσητε οτι εγω ειμι 13:20 αμην αμην λεγω υμιν ο λαμβανων εαν τινα πεμψω εμε λαμβανει ο δε εμε λαμβανων λαμβανει τον πεμψαντα με
Adam of St. Victor, “Verbi Vere Substantivi,” Divine Inspiration, p. 385
Bruce Beasley, “Elegy,” Spirituals, p. 43
“Elegy”
The angels waiting outside the supper
Winced,
Hearing a dull old hymn rising out of the stranger’s house.
They knew this must be
The end, though no one had breathed
A word to them. They waited on a tense limb.
Inside, one man was guilty: even his clothes were smudged,
A dead giveaway, like the wine
Colored blush that rose up his neck
When he thought how the others must envy
The way he finally knew what their master was thinking,
The way they exchanged winks and glances over the baskets of bread.
At the head of the table, a few drops of wine
Shone at the corners of the master’s mouth,
And the sundown framed him in the gray
Windows at his back, and he looked
Down the length of the table as though at a dim still life,
And stalled for a moment his words about all this dying:
While in the back of his mind, a barren fig tree
Kept shaking its load, a dirty little blossom of a man:
And then he smiled,
Folding his hands around the wine in the dusty sunlight.
The angels rose in a wave toward the door
And the treacherous one ran out and joined them, his face
Ablush, his supper gone cold,
Doing what had to be done.
Frederick Buechner, “Judas,” Peculiar Treasures, p. 82-83
Jose de Valdivielso, “Seguidilla,” Divine Inspiration, p. 391
Oscar Hahn, “The Last Supper,” Divine Inspiration, p. 392
R. A. K. Mason, “Judas Iscariot,” Divine Inspiration, p. 393
Dave McClure, “Hey, Johnny,” Compuserve, Poetry Cafe (1/18/96)
“Hey, Johnny”
Well, that was very pleasant, to be free
from all the crowds, if only for a while.
I still remember how it used to be
with Zebedee. There’s times I have to smile,
so much has changed. But listen – you were near
to him when he was doling out the bread.
That bit about his body – did you hear?
I wasn’t really catching all he said.
And something with the wine? Well, never mind
It can’t be that important anyway
and even if it is, I’m sure we’ll find
the time to talk it through some other day.
It’s good to have the master as a friend
But why did Judas leave before the end?
Tadeusz Rozewicz, “The Dream of Saint John,” Divine Inspiration, p. 388
Paul Verlaine, “Lord, I’m Afraid,” Divine Inspiration, p. 389
21 When Jesus had thus spoken, he was troubled in spirit, and testified, “Truly, truly, I say to you, one of you will betray me.” 22 The disciples looked at one another, uncertain of whom he spoke. 23 One of his disciples, whom Jesus loved, was lying close to the breast of Jesus; 24 so Simon Peter beckoned to him and said, “Tell us who it is of whom he speaks.” 25 So lying thus, close to the breast of Jesus, he said to him, “Lord, who is it?” 26 Jesus answered, “It is he to whom I shall give this morsel when I have dipped it.” So when he had dipped the morsel, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. 27 Then after the morsel, Satan entered into him. Jesus said to him, “What you are going to do, do quickly.” 28 Now no one at the table knew why he said this to him. 29 Some thought that, because Judas had the money box, Jesus was telling him, “Buy what we need for the feast”; or, that he should give something to the poor. 30 So, after receiving the morsel, he immediately went out; and it was night.
13:21 ταυτα ειπων ο ιησους εταραχθη τω πνευματι και εμαρτυρησεν και ειπεν αμην αμην λεγω υμιν οτι εις εξ υμων παραδωσει με 13:22 εβλεπον ουν εις αλληλους οι μαθηται απορουμενοι περι τινος λεγει 13:23 ην δε ανακειμενος εις των μαθητων αυτου εν τω κολπω του ιησου ον ηγαπα ο ιησους 13:24 νευει ουν τουτω σιμων πετρος πυθεσθαι τις αν ειη περι ου λεγει 13:25 επιπεσων δε εκεινος ουτως επι το στηθος του ιησου λεγει αυτω κυριε τις εστιν 13:26 αποκρινεται ο ιησους εκεινος εστιν ω εγω βαψας το ψωμιον επιδωσω και εμβαψας το ψωμιον διδωσιν ιουδα σιμωνος ισκαριωτη 13:27 και μετα το ψωμιον τοτε εισηλθεν εις εκεινον ο σατανας λεγει ουν αυτω ο ιησους ο ποιεις ποιησον ταχιον 13:28 τουτο δε ουδεις εγνω των ανακειμενων προς τι ειπεν αυτω 13:29 τινες γαρ εδοκουν επει το γλωσσοκομον ειχεν ο ιουδας οτι λεγει αυτω ο ιησους αγορασον ων χρειαν εχομεν εις την εορτην η τοις πτωχοις ινα τι δω 13:30 λαβων ουν το ψωμιον εκεινος ευθεως εξηλθεν ην δε νυξ
Andrew Greeley, “Being In Love Is Hard Work,” When Life Hurts, p. 121-123
33 John 7:34
34 John 15:12 & 17; 1 John 3:23; 2 John 5
34 Carlo Carretto, Love is for Living, p. 139-146
35 J. Heinrich Arnold, Discipleship, p. 99
Discipleship
35 Gary Gunderson, Deeply Woven Roots, p. 100
31 When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now is the Son of man glorified, and in him God is glorified; 32 if God is glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself, and glorify him at once. 33 Little children, yet a little while I am with you. You will seek me; and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, ‘Where I am going you cannot come.’ 34 A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. 35 By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
13:31 οτε εξηλθεν λεγει ο ιησους νυν εδοξασθη ο υιος του ανθρωπου και ο θεος εδοξασθη εν αυτω 13:32 ει ο θεος εδοξασθη εν αυτω και ο θεος δοξασει αυτον εν εαυτω και ευθυς δοξασει αυτον 13:33 τεκνια ετι μικρον μεθ υμων ειμι ζητησετε με και καθως ειπον τοις ιουδαιοις οτι οπου υπαγω εγω υμεις ου δυνασθε ελθειν και υμιν λεγω αρτι 13:34 εντολην καινην διδωμι υμιν ινα αγαπατε αλληλους καθως ηγαπησα υμας ινα και υμεις αγαπατε αλληλους 13:35 εν τουτω γνωσονται παντες οτι εμοι μαθηται εστε εαν αγαπην εχητε εν αλληλοις
36 Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, where are you going?” Jesus answered, “Where I am going you cannot follow me now; but you shall follow afterward.” 37 Peter said to him, “Lord, why cannot I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.” 38 Jesus answered, “Will you lay down your life for me? Truly, truly, I say to you, the cock will not crow, till you have denied me three times.
13:36 λεγει αυτω σιμων πετρος κυριε που υπαγεις απεκριθη αυτω ο ιησους οπου υπαγω ου δυνασαι μοι νυν ακολουθησαι υστερον δε ακολουθησεις μοι 13:37 λεγει αυτω πετρος κυριε δια τι ου δυναμαι σοι ακολουθησαι αρτι την ψυχην μου υπερ σου θησω 13:38 απεκριθη αυτω ο ιησους την ψυχην σου υπερ εμου θησεις αμην αμην λεγω σοι ου μη αλεκτωρ φωνηση εως ου απαρνηση με τρις