{Holy Week} Dirty Feet, Clean Heart

There is something just so poignant about the Last Supper.  Many things, actually.  It’s the purpose of life, all rolled into one evening.  There are lessons of love, friendship, evangelization, betrayal, forgiveness and, ultimately, redemption.

This week, we hosted dinner for a high school friend of mine.  I haven’t seen him in years – although with the evolution of social media, I didn’t feel like we had missed much in one another’s life.  That is, until we sat at our dinner table and begin to pray and share stories about life.  Stories of job loss, sickness, parenthood, 20-year reunions (eek!), death and faith.  It’s funny how the dinner table works.  It’s like your best friend who always wants to know more.  All pretenses are shed and you share some healthy doses of honesty.  So many beautiful conversations have been held as we dine at table.  There have been stern talks with our children, tears of joy upon hearing the news of a new baby’s birth, some tightly held hands as we prayed fervently for guidance and direction and so, so, so much laughter.  In our house, there are fewer things more precious than that table.  For it represents who we are and what we value:  relationships with people.

During the Last Supper, as Jesus washed the disciples feet, I wonder what they were thinking.  They had no idea what lay ahead, but Jesus did.  Yet he washed their feet anyway, knowing they would betray Him.  He didn’t do it out of spite, rather out of love.  That’s more than what I do on a daily basis.  How many times do I do something and think, “Well, that will show them.”?  Too many, is the answer.

When our oldest was just weeks old, we attended Holy Thursday Mass.  His Godfather was the presiding priest and had Will come forward so he could wash his feet.  Oh wow.  To quote twitter speak:  #proudparentingmoment.  It’s been permanently etched in my brain.  We do something similar with the children at our house.  We’re still not at a place in parenthood where we can haul all five to Mass for an “enjoyable” experience.  It will come, but until then, we wash the kids’ feet and pray over them.  I love it.

However you celebrate Holy Thursday, just know that even the most holy men sinned.  Yet, Jesus still cleansed their souls.  Redemption is just around the corner.