[Propertalk] Maundy Thursday

Tue Mar 31 17:21:51 EDT 2015

Here's the draft for Thursday evening ... Good Tuesday to you all.

Bob

	THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF ST. ALBAN, ALBANY     MAUNDY THURSDAY 

	EXODUS 12:1-14        2nd APRIL, 2015 

	1 CORINTHIANS 11:23-26     PSALM 116:1-2, 12-19 

	JOHN 13:1-17, 31b-35  

	 This Feast has been planned for such a long time. Jesus told the
disciples to find the room where they could celebrate. There was an
implication there that the owner of the room would know what was
meant, what all Jesus would need. Jesus Himself was part of the
preparation and participation. And all was made ready for what had
been planned and would unfold at the time appointed. 

	 Around the world, different customs have developed about how to
celebrate what is illustrated by the way so many different people are
drawn together tonight. In Britain, the monarch attends a special
liturgy at which Jesus’ hospitality of recalled. Then the Royal
Maundy is given. The Royal Maundy are special sterling silver coins
struck for this occasion. They’re given to pensioners over age
seventy, some of whose lives may often hang by a slender thread, who
may not be able to eat on any given day because of a lack of money.
They’re given on nomination by local congregations because of
service to the community. There’s a direct tie, numerically, in this
gift and the recipients, according to the number of years the monarch
has reigned. There’s a reminder of the blessings of the wealthy and
the ability to respond to others. It’s not the only way this can be
done, of course. But what happened earlier today in Sheffield
Cathedral was something done publically. Whatever else may happen is
not done with fanfare, but this is a small way in which welcome and
the importance of belonging to the human family of God can be
acknowledged. 1 

	 In other words, no matter what one’s economic, or social, or
political, or religious background, the Feast of Jesus’ Offering
becomes part of the lives of everyone, as represented in the way
Elizabeth and the pensioners interacted some hours ago. It signifies
something substantial given and received, a reminder of the depth of
the joy mixed with the solemnity, tinged with anxiety of something
unknown.  

	 Perhaps a better known act on this day is the repetition of Jesus’
washing of feet. As you know, every Jewish host was bound by the laws
of hospitality and humanity to ensure everyone’s feet were washed
and soothed when entering the house, and before eating. How this had
slipped the attention of those gathering with Jesus for supper isn’t
known. What IS recorded is that in mid meal, Jesus broke off with
tradition and did what no Jewish servant would have done. He, the
leader, the one whom Peter confessed was the Messiah; He performed
this subservient act, to the point of getting in touch with Peter’s
feelings and breaking through one more barrier between them. But that
was Jesus’ way. If something prevented any person from being able to
receive and appreciate the enormity of God’s Love, it must be taken
away. That Love MUST be evident and available at all times, not matter
what the situation. 

	 Perhaps, in line with Britain’s monarchic tradition on Maundy
Thursday, one of the most publicized acts of the Church Catholic is
the way that Popes have emulated Jesus on this night, sometimes
upsetting all sorts of people. 

	 Last year, Pope Francis washed the feet of elderly and infirm
people. The year before he washed feet of young people at a juvenile
prison, people including Muslims and a young woman, something that set
people reaching for their smelling salts. Muslims, well, perhaps; but
a woman – that hadn’t been done before, knowingly, in accordance
with liturgical tradition. But then, Francis, like Jesus, seems to be
able to see when tradition itself is the barrier to God’s Love
reaching and embracing everyone. So, this year, Francis is going back
to prison, to make contact with those whom society would probably
rather not see, far less touch or kiss. 2 

	 Religion – of which Christianity is one – is such a sensitive
thing. It calls us to make contact, to bring people together, to find
ways to encourage and demonstrate the forgiveness and complete
cleansing offered by God. The interesting thing is that there’s no
record of Jesus indicating this relationship with God which we
proclaim and demonstrate in baptism. For Jesus, it comes in the
washing of feet. 

	 For me there’s something incredibly comforting in this knowledge
– that Jesus, despite His preoccupation with the darkness of the
atmosphere and the threat of incredible pain, despite what lay ahead,
He drew His friends – way more than twelve, by the way – around
Him, to show them how everything in creation was being drawn together,
how everything was being focused on the food, on the water, on the
wine in front of them. 

	 Poor Indiana! It’s certainly taking a lot of criticism this past
week. What may have begun in some quarters as satire has taken on the
face of reality when the matter of identification has been brought up.
One commentator wrote, “What's a God-fearing Indiana merchant to do
if I walk in the door? Am I responsible for his damnation if I let him
serve me without mentioning that I'm gay and he doesn't guess it? Must
he ask all customers about potential offenses to his faith?” 3 

	 Whom did Jesus card that night? Of course, He knew them – but that
didn’t always work in their favor. In fact, if Jesus and I were to
trade places at that basin of water, I might have a hard time with
some feet. But the point is that NO ONE is excluded – from ANYthing.

	 Think of the times we’ve been under such stress that our whole
routines have been shaken. Think of the times that lie ahead of us. In
life, there IS a fair bit that’s known and somewhat predictable. We
have a somewhat better chance of understanding what will happen that
forecasters have of determining when it’s going to rain. But there
is still so much in life that is unpredictable. 

	 There is one thing, however, on which we can depend absolutely. The
Love of God can never, and will never, be taken from us, the Love of
God demonstrated at the water basin as well as at the altar, and so
many other places, and through so many people. 

	  The same hands which took the Bread and gave it, after the
blessing, with the words, “This is my body”; the same hands which
took a cup of wine from the table and said, “This is my blood”;
eat, drink ALL of you; the same hands took a towel and a basin of
water and washed feet; the same hands will be pierced for you and for,
and for all in less that twenty-four hours after washing, and eating,
and drinking. And it was done so that ALL may come within the reach of
Jesus’ saving embrace. 

	 There ARE no exceptions to Jesus’ Love. Everything is ready!

	Christ washed the feet of Judas!
 The dark and evil passions of his soul,
 His secret plot, and sordidness complete,
 His hate, his purposing, Christ knew the whole,
 And still in love he stooped and washed his feet. 

	Christ washed the feet of Judas!
 Yet all his lurking sin was bare to him,
 His bargain with the priest, and more than this,
 In Olivet, beneath the moonlight dim
 Aforehand knew and felt his treacherous kiss. 

	Christ washed the feet of Judas!
 And so ineffable his love 'twas meet,
 That pity fill his great forgiving heart,
 And tenderly to wash the traitor's feet,
 Who in his Lord had basely sold his part. 

	Christ washed the feet of Judas!
 And thus a girded servant, self-abased,
 Taught that no wrong this side the gate of heaven
 Was ever too great to wholly be effaced,
 And though unasked, in spirit be forgiven.
 And so if we have ever felt the wrong
 Of Trampled rights, of caste, it matters not,
 What e'er the soul has felt or suffered long,
 Oh, heart! this one thing should not be forgot:
 Christ washed the feet of Judas. 4 

	NOTES: 

[1] THE QUEEN TO VISIT SHEFFIELD FOR MAUNDY THURSDAY | CALENDAR ...
[1] WWW.ITV.COM/.../THE-QUEEN-TO-VISIT-SHEFFIELD-FOR-MAUNDY-THURSDAY/
[2]  

	2 Pope Francis will wash the feet of prisoners on Maundy ... [3]
www.catholicherald.co.uk/.../pope-francis-will-wash [4]   

	3 Civil Liberties: _“Why a Gay Man Like Me Is Going to Make It Hard
for Indiana Shopkeepers to Exercise Their ‘Religious Liberty’: Am
I responsible for their damnation if I let ’ em serve me without
mentioning that I'm gay and they don't guess it? By_ John Moyers [5] /
AlterNet [6] _March 28, 2015_ 

	http://www.alternet.org/civil-liberties/why-gay-man-me-going-make-it-hard-indiana-shopkeepers-exercise-their-religious
[7]  

	4 _“THE FEET OF JUDAS”_ by George Marion McClellan. See James
Weldon Johnson, ed. (1871–1938). _“The Book of American Negro
Poetry”._ 1922. www.bartleby.com/ [8]..

	-----------------------------------------
 Robert P Morrison
St. Alban's Episcopal Church
PO Box 1556
Albany, OR 97321

541-921-1076

Links:
------
[1]
http://mail2.charter.net/HTTP://WWW.GOOGLE.COM/URL?SA=T&RCT=J&Q=&ESRC=S&SOURCE=WEB&CD=4&VED=0CDQQFJAD&URL=HTTP%3A%2F%2FWWW.ITV.COM%2FNEWS%2FCALENDAR%2FUPDATE%2F2015-01-20%2FTHE-QUEEN-TO-VISIT-SHEFFIELD-FOR-MAUNDY-THURSDAY%2F&EI=EPMAVZY8BCFJOAT0I4L4BQ&USG=AFQJCNH4LYG4UUAUH4SIQE6RH1WKKPBNYQ&BVM=BV.89744112,D.CGU&CAD=RJA
[2]
http://mail2.charter.net/HTTP://WWW.ITV.COM/.../THE-QUEEN-TO-VISIT-SHEFFIELD-FOR-MAUNDY-THURSDAY/
[3]
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CCAQFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicherald.co.uk%2Fnews%2F2015%2F03%2F11%2Fpope-francis-will-wash-the-feet-of-prisoners-on-maundy-thursday%2F&ei=6_saVa3MNMLxoASij4C4DA&usg=AFQjCNEAmbFSKgIN9Pr7DRvdBrFxvQcmtQ&bvm=bv.89744112,d.cGU
[4] http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/.../pope-francis-will-wash
[5] http://www.alternet.org/authors/john-moyers
[6] http://alternet.org
[7]
http://www.alternet.org/civil-liberties/why-gay-man-me-going-make-it-hard-indiana-shopkeepers-exercise-their-religious
[8] http://www.bartleby.com/

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