Dear Brothers and Sisters,

The Gospel reading of today’s mass is from the beginning of the last discourse of Jesus on his new commandment (John 13:31-35). This excerpt will become meaningful if we read and reflect on the whole chapter, John 13:1-38. Let us take a moment to review the whole chapter.

Jesus had his last supper with his disciples. Great things happened during this meal. He had washed the feet of his disciples and called them to follow his example in gracious, humble and selfless service. Try to imagine this scene. You are sitting at the table with Jesus and his friends on the night before he died. Suddenly, Jesus is standing before you with a bowl of water in hand and apron around his waist. How amazing and awe inspiring it is to think of God in an apron with a bowl of water ready to wash your feet!!! Jesus, the master and Lord, bent his knees before his disciples with a bowl of water and washed their feet. Take a moment and imagine him with an apron around his waist and a bowl of water in his hands, on his knees, before you, ready to wash your feet!!!  We would feel more free and comfortable if we could trade places. We wouldn’t mind kneeling before Jesus to wash his feet!!

Peter wanted to trade places. But Jesus said to Peter that he must accept this “foot-washing” as essential to being with his master. Jesus then washed the feet of his disciples and called them to follow his example in gracious and self-sacrificing service. Today we are challenged to accept the cleansing, forgiving, healing and transforming power of “foot-washing” and offer it to one another in selfless service after the example of our master, Jesus. Jesus also wanted the disciples to know that redeeming the world would cost him his life and that he was choosing death and that it was his chosen act of “surrender” to the will of his Father. Jesus was accepting death in fidelity, in loyalty, in love, and in total giving. And one of the disciples was going to betray him who loved and trusted!

Tension mounted among the twelve disciples as Jesus told them that one of them would betray him. Questions about who the betrayer was, suspicion of each other and many other factors created confusion. It is amazing to know how Jesus tried to help the disciples become aware of what was happening and what was going to happen to him. They just failed to understand. They were too preoccupied with themselves and their ambitions. Does it sound familiar?

To read more of this Sunday’s reflection, please click on the link below...