I'm also a huge fan of Holy Thursday because it's the night when priests have the opportunity to wash the feet of 12 parishioners as an imitation of what Christ did on this night some 2,000 years ago. Even the Pope washes feet on Holy Thursday. Of course, in years past our popes have washed the feet of 12 men of the Diocese of Rome (or 12 cardinals, priests, deacons...). This year, Pope Francis has decided to continue his pre-papal custom of washing the feet of the poor, lowly, sick, and imprisoned- you know the people Jesus mentions we serve Him in Matt. 25:31-46. Naturally, this ruffled a lot of feathers around the world. Some people were upset that he wasn't celebrating the Mass in St. Peter's or St. John Lateran. Others were upset that the Pope was going to wash the feet of prisoners. A few were even pissed off because - GASP - he would be washing the feet of two girls. AND if that weren't bad enough, some of the 12 people whose feet Pope Francis washed might not have been Catholic!!!!
When I saw this tweet by James Martin, SJ, I laughed a lot:
Before Mass tonight, as I was praying and contemplating what Holy Thursday means, I looked up at the front of our church at the stained glass windows of the Apostles (the 11 Faithful Apostles and Paul), and I couldn't help but think of a series of funny things I would like to tweet regarding Pope Francis breaking "canon law" to wash women's feet. For the record, I looked into it and couldn't really find which canon he actually violated, but there is a consensus that liturgical laws were "violated."
On the way home from Adoration, I thought about tweeting all of the funny one-liners and then I thought a blog would be a better forum. Here I don't have a character limit and I can put everything in context so nothing gets misconstrued. But what's the tie-in to poverty?! So glad you asked! I think the heart of the matter of what Jesus did on Holy Thursday and what Pope Francis did this year is service of those we may not deem "worthy" of serving. I think if Pope Francis washed the feet of 12 "super pious and holy cardinals" no one would have cared at all. It probably would have been expected. Jesus was (is) the Son of God- the disciples should have lined up to wash His feet; but Jesus set the example of humility- He washed the feet of sinful men. Point is- it's easy to wash the feet of someone who is "equal" in power and rank, but how many of us would balk at washing the feet of someone who is way lower than us? That's exactly what Jesus did- washed the feet of those way lower than Himself. That's exactly what Pope Francis did- washed the feet of those way lower than himself. The model of humility is what Christ commanded the Apostles to "also do" (cf. Jn. 13:15).
To put it another way, Jesus didn't say, "sorry, I can't serve you. You're too poor/hungry/thirsty/sick/imprisoned/naked for me. Oh, and you're not part of my religion so that's a strike also. You're a woman, sorry, I only came to serve men." Jesus actually finished the lesson by saying, "no slave is greater than his master..." (Jn. 13:16). If we think that we can make determinations on whose feet are eligible to be washed, isn't that kind of us trying to be greater than the Master?!
To digress in Catholic terms for a moment: Is the washing of feet a Sacrament? No, which means that ritual doesn't carry the same weight as the rite of Baptism or the Mass. I don't have a licentiate in Sacramental Theology, but I'm pretty sure that all that's necessary for the Sacraments is the proper matter and form. The rituals are subject to revision by the Holy See, and perhaps the hotly contested "Mandatum" ritual (foot washing) will finally be revised to demonstrate what Christ did when the Master and Teacher washed the feet of the students and then instructed them to wash one another's feet.
So, about those one-liners. I guess I would categorize all of these as "Jesus thought bubbles" as He was washing the disciples feet. Of course, they're all slanted through the prism of modern wash the feet of "12 preferably rich and powerful VIRI (which is Latin for MEN)" thought.
Here we go:
When washing Judas' feet: "this guy's gonna sell me out for 30 pieces of silver. I shouldn't wash his feet. Or maybe I should twist his ankle while I'm doing it so he can't make it to the betrayal!"
When washing Peter's feet: "dude wants a whole bath like some little baby who can't wash his own feet, hands, and head!"
When washing Peter's feet: "guess who's washing my feet after he denies me three times tonight?! I can't believe I'm stooping to this level!"
When washing the feet of James and John: "I can't decide who I want to sit at my right hand in the Kingdom of Heaven. I guess whoever's feet smell the least funky gets it. Oh, wait, that's not for me to decide. Sorry Dad, sometimes I get caught up in these petty little human arguments. Good thing my divinity keeps me in check!"
When washing Thomas' feet: "in three days this guy won't believe I'm back from the dead! I shouldn't wash his feet. I should question his faith first then wash them."
When washing Matthew's feet: "I shouldn't be washing his feet after that audit he pulled on me before I made him a disciple!"
When washing Judas' feet: "I wonder how much money he thinks I should sell this washbowl and pitcher set for in order to give it to the poor?* Maybe 30 pieces of silver?!" (*cf. John 12:4-5)
When washing Peter's feet: "I hope he doesn't fall into this bowl and almost drown!" (cf. Matt. 14)
"I came, I conquered sin, I washed men's feet"
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