Diakonia: Jesus Washes Us To Do the Same to Others

(Reflection for Holy Thursday)

Gospel:

It was before the feast of the Passover. Jesus realized that his hour had come to pass from this world to the Father, and as he had loved those who were his own in the world, he would love them with perfect love.

They were at supper and the devil had already put into the mind of Judas, son of Simon Iscariot, to betray him. Jesus knew that the Father had entrusted all things to him, and as he had come from God, he is going to God. So he got up from table, removed his garment and taking a towel, wrapped it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel he was wearing.

When he came to Simon Peter, Simon said to him, “Why, Lord, you want to wash my feet!” Jesus said, “What I am doing you cannot understand now, but afterwards you will understand it.” Peter replied, “You shall never wash my feet.”

Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you can have no part with me.” Then Simon Peter said, “Lord, wash not only my feet, but also my hands and my head!’

Jesus replied, “Whoever has taken a bath does not need to wash (except the feet), for he is clean all over. You are clean, though not all of you.” Jesus knew who was to betray him; because of this he said, “Not all of you are clean.”

When Jesus had finished washing their feet, he put on his garment again, went back to the table and said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me Master and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I, then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet, you also must wash one another’s feet. I have just given you an example that as I have done, you also may do.” (John 13: 1-15)

Reflections:

Jesus emphasizes on his mission that he came not be served but to serve. Though, he is the Son of the Father, he lives like one of us and makes us as his brethren. He makes himself as the way to manifest the message of the Father to us. Thus, he obeyed the Father’s will and channeled it to us. He served the world with greatest love and sacrifice. His life is very manifestation of unconditional service.

On this gospel, Jesus shows to his disciples the example of a true “diakonia”¹. Jesus teaches us that service is humbling down oneself to reach even those weakest of all weak, lowest of all lowly, and poorest among the poor. Our feet are being washed by Jesus in order to show to us that we must embrace the lowliness of all the people whom we are to serve. Our service must not be selective rather unconditional for all those who are really in need.

Jesus understands that we are not yet clean. We are tainted with sin. We are broken. We are wounded. Yet, Jesus chooses those weaknesses of ours to be converted into something great. Jesus washes away those things in us for us to be worthy of the mission of change. Optimistically, God would use our weaknesses as the beginning of our strength. Jesus washes us for us to realize that though we are wounded, still, we could be an instrument to heal another’s wound.

Jesus’ service is so much filled with love and sacrifice. He does not only wash our body with water but he even cleanse our soul with is blood on the cross. True enough that Jesus “would love [the world] with perfect love.” (John 13:1b)

Jesus is Master and Lord. He is the model of leadership. To lead is to serve. Serving people is the way of leading them of serving one another. Leadership is not being in charge of all. It is leading people on how to continue the flow of service from one to all the parts of the community. If Jesus himself who is our Master and Lord, “have washed [our] feet, we must also wash one another’s feet. [Jesus] just given us an example that what he have done, we may also do.” (John 13:14-15)

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1Paul uses the Greek word diakonia, meaning "service". It is the word from which comes our English word "deacon". Paul may be referring to those who serve in a specific ministry, as our deacons serve today, or he may have in mind all ministries that serve to build up the faith community. Paul applied this same term to his own ministry in Romans 11:13 and used the term in the same way in 1 Corinthians 12:5; 2 Corinthians 4:1; 11:8; Colossians 4:17; and Ephesians 4:12. (http://www.agapebiblestudy.com/charts/Paul%27s%20Seven%20Spiritual%20Gifts.htm)