Holy Thursday – Oh, These Dirty Feet!!

A few morning thoughts:  During this sacred time of pandemic, (cleanliness, quiet, separation), the act of foot washing seems almost ironic!  In the ancient world feet sort of had a zone of their own.  Often bare, sometimes shod in open sandals, the feet touched the earth directly – no fancy gel padding or techno arch support with space-age ventilating mesh.  No, the feet were down there in there with the dust, grime, garbage, rot, and, human and animal feces.  It was the individual’s most vulgar and immediate contact with not only the earth, but the messiness of life; and urban life – crowded Jerusalem, whose population swelled to well over a million during the high holy days of Passover.  So, when Jesus insists on washing the disciples’ feet – it’s like… you might have got your head right:   good thoughts, insightful teachings; you might have your heart in the right place:  good intentions, kind-dispositions; and yet, the one thing you need is a transformed contact with the 'Earth and all who live on it' (Psalm 24 – a Psalm sung upon entrance into the temple).  Clean hands, Pure Heart  and washed feet – the call to follow Jesus through the crisscrossed, conflicted messiness of life. 

I think I have some toe jam that needs a righteous washing…and that funk in my big toe nail? Hmmm.  Ah, but perhaps this is implying more about my clear mind and clean heart than is true.  Lord have mercy.  Perhaps this time of extra hygienic awareness may be as spiritual as it is social.

Blessings. 

With thanks to Tim – QHP Core Community