Part 1. This blog is written strictly from a non-heathen/non-Bible scholar/non-Church apologist point of view.
Yesterday was Maundy Thursday. Today is Good Friday. Tomorrow is Holy Saturday. Sunday is Easter. These four days comprise what the Catholics call the Paschal Triduum—which celebrate the following events: the Last Supper; the Crucifixion; the Death of Jesus; and His Resurrection.
These days represent the essence of Christianity. A combination of these four days also fulfill Matthew 12:40:
“For as Jonas was three days and three night in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” (I think.)
Interesting note about these particular holy days: The Catholic Rule-Makers have assigned them “liturgical colors.” Thursday and Sunday are white; Friday is red; and Saturday is violet (purple). I wonder why you need colors to be associated with these days? For fashion purposes? Egg-dyeing purposes? Doing anything to justify your salary?
The Last Supper (on Maundy Thursday) is significant in Christianity as it’s where the famous scene of Jesus washing the feet of the other dinner guests—the twelve Apostles (eleven pals and one dirty rat!)—takes place.
The word “Maundy” in English comes from the Old French word mandé, which comes from the Latin mandatum, the first word of the phrase: “Mandatum novum do vobis ut diligatis invicem sicut dilexi vos.”
This statement is recorded in John 13:34 and translates as:
“A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you.”
The foot washing is a metaphor for that love. (I think.)
Years ago I took a women’s group Bible class (at that church that was mean to me – see Blog 2/08/10). We read from a workbook of Bible verses and then had a discussion/practical application of what we had read. One of the verses was the one above. The “practical application” was for us to wash each other’s feet.
I was appalled. I loudly said, “No can do” and “no offense to the ladies in the room.”
But NO ONE wanted to wash anyone else’s feet. Even the most pious elderly biblically skilled women said NO WAY. The teacher even said NO.
That scene always stuck in my mind. Why wouldn’t we wash each other’s feet? Was it because we didn’t know each other very well and feet washing seemed too intimate? Were we all fanatical germophobics? Were we afraid of encountering a bad smell or grody toes and how does one handle that situation without screaming?
I think the significance of Jesus doing it was a way to say, “No one is better than anyone else. And I will gladly wash your feet to show how I feel about you.”
In 2004, a few years later after that class, the Mayor of San Francisco, Gavin Newsom, started the first Project Homeless Connect Day. There were hundreds of volunteers, a variety of social service organizations, and health care professionals helping homeless people get medical and dental care, clean socks, new shoes, eyeglasses, food, attention, etc. I thought this was an incredible idea.
Then when Mayor Newsom actually washed the feet of homeless people it blew me away! I am sure the homeless people did not have the most pleasant of feet. But I think Mayor Newsom was trying to literally apply the word of Jesus. That made him seem righteous… until later when he had the affair with his best friend’s wife. UGH! That made him seem like a typical politician. No wonder he had trouble trying to launch a campaign for Governor of CA.
Next up is Part 2: Good Friday and Holy Saturday.
One last note: 10/10/10 is the date of the FIRST World Homeless Day, an international effort sponsored by the World Homeless Forum to help the homeless in all countries. I’ll blog more about it later in the year.
I think Jesus would like to participate…
