By Stan Alla

New Delhi, March 28, 2024: During the Maundy Thursday evening service in several churches, you will witness the ‘Washing of the Feet.’ It’s wonderful and moving to watch it prayerfully, wherein a priest or a bishop bends down to wash the feet of the faithful.

Maybe you were there in the past among those whose feet were washed. Did it ever occur to you that Jesus might express his desire to wash your feet? We might love to wash his feet, even with tears, but allowing him to wash our feet: extremely odd even to imagine such a scene!

Washing the feet of the others is a ritual that has been there in many cultures and still it survives in some communities. At times it is the elder or a relative who washes the feet of some significant persons. For instance, among the Telugus, during a wedding ritual, the feet of the bride-groom are washed by the father-in-law and others. Washing the feet of the guests is equally common among several indigenous communities across India.

While the foot-washing ritual occurs among the equals, in other contexts it happens among the unequals. At times it is the worker of the family who washes the feet and welcomes the guests.

In the Jewish culture, which may have parallel in other cultures, washing of the feet can mean as a sign of purification or of hospitality. Among the Jews, frequently, the slaves washed the feet of the invited. At a time when few wore sandals and the roads were dusty (still many across the world walk barefoot and the roads are no less dusty than they were at the time of Pontius Pilate) washing of the feet was mandatory. The host family offers water for the washing, and upon arrival or before meals people wash their feet. Routinely people wash their feet (used to wash, at least in the past) before meals in India.

‘Washing of the feet’ makes Maundy Thursday very unique. Since foot-washing in the Churches happens only once a year (in some churches it happens more frequently, and in a few cases it occurs every time before receiving the Communion), people look forward to it. Since it is the priest or the bishop who washes the feet, the ceremony becomes extra-special. Among the popes, while the others washed the feet of the clergy or of the faithful, Pope Francis made it more popular. He went out of the way and washed the feet of the prisoners, people of other faiths etc.

Maundy Thursday, by definition, refers to a mandate. It implies following Jesus, in loving one another, in participating in the Meal, and by washing each other’s feet. The life of apostles, and by extension of all disciples, is to be marked by humility and hospitality, love and service. In Jesus’ time, several Jews, including their religious leaders, were going after wealth and power, honour and glory. Through the washing of the feet, by example, lest they forget, Jesus established a new community. In this community all will be recognized as God’s sons and daughters and all will strive to reconcile and forgive, love and serve the others, even by going to the extent of loving the strangers and enemies.

Breaking of the bread and washing of the feet (let us not forget that in John’s Gospel, in the last supper there is ONLY foot-washing episode), Jesus desired, would become the characteristic feature, lifeline, as it were, of the disciples. While the Eucharist, celebrated by the priest, remained the source and centre of Christian life, washing of the feet (implying that, by definition, a Christian is mandated to serve) was ignored.

As mandated, we remember the Lord in the Eucharist, and regularly we find nourishment in it. The mandate also included the washing of the feet but it got largely ignored.

Imagine that Christ desires to wash YOUR FEET? Instantly, feeling unworthy, we want to avoid it, much like Peter.

To leave a lasting Command, the Lord mandates that, like servants, we are to wash others’ feet. Those who let Christ wash their feet found it easy to touch and wash others feet. Those who hesitate to let Jesus touch their feet, may struggle to touch others feet, and consequently, to follow the Lord’s twin command of love and service.

Humility is a grace, a virtue, that is most difficult to possess. We need true humility to let Christ touch and wash our feet so that it transforms our hearts and lives! May the Blessed Triduum enable us to meditate on the Lord’s Passion, as we look forward to the dawn that makes all things new!

(Jesuit Father Stanislaus Alla teaches Moral Theology at Delhi’s Vidyajyoti)