Today we need to ask ourselves what have I done for Christ, what am I doing for Christ, what ought I do for Christ?

In today’s gospel we the prophetic gesture that Jesus performs when he washes the feet of the disciples. Many interpret this gesture as acting like a slave. However, John is very clear that the washing was not before the meal as slaves would do but when they were in the middle of the meal. And even though Jesus knows that Judas is going to betray him, even though Jesus knows that Peter is going to deny him, he washes their feet.

And this is what is prophetic about the gesture. First, that it was done after the meal had begun, something totally unexpected, and second, that he could wash the feet of the betrayer, a denier and of the others who ran away. So there was now trait the disciples had that would have prompted anyone to wash their feet;

There was nothing within the disciples that would have made anyone reach out to them. It was what was in Jesus that made him even to look at the disciples with the eyes, the heart, the mind, of love. And even as he washed the feet of Judas and Peter, he was loving, forgiving and accepting them. This is the true meaning of forgiveness; it is the true meaning of love, it is the true meaning of Maundy Thursday.

So, If Jesus was able to love, forgive, and accept and pardon even those who he knew would reject him, deny him, betray him, are we capable of such forgiveness and acceptance? We need to ask ourselves whether we can do that. If Jesus was able to love unconditionally, expecting nothing in return, we need to ask ourselves whether we are capable of such love.

Today we need to ask ourselves what have I done for Christ, what am I doing for Christ, what ought I do for Christ?