In St. John’s Gospel account of the Last Supper there is no mention of the institution of the Eucharist. John’s Gospel was the last of the gospels to be written, so by the time it was written, the Eucharist was already taken for granted. St. John makes the washing of the feet the central aspect of the Last Supper. In doing so, he’s making a point that the breaking of bread and the washing of feet are each just as important as the other; both being what Jesus was all about; what he had been preaching for the previous three years.
Shortly before the account of the Last Supper, the Apostles had been arguing about who was more important. James and John had even petitioned Jesus, through their mother, for positions of prestige in his kingdom. Jesus knew what they were thinking. The Apostles had often misunderstood Jesus’ words. So he had to show them. After breaking bread and taking the cup, he got up, grabs a towel and proceeds to wash the feet of each one of them. He did it to show what being important really meant; what being one of his followers would entail. He did it to teach his followers the way it should be for Christians. “Let him who would be the greatest among you serve. Let the one who would be the master be the slave. As I have done for you, so you should do for others.”
He washed the feet of all twelve; even Peter who he knew would later deny him; and even Judas’ feet, who he knew would betray him. It didn’t matter how stinky their feet, how great their sin. He just wanted them to know that his love goes out to all. When Peter protested having his feet washed by Jesus, Jesus saw the implications of what was happening. We can be humble before God, but we don’t expect God to be humble before us. We all want God in all his glory, in all his majesty and power. We can handle that, but for God to put on a towel rather than a robe, to bend down and wash our feet, that can be frightening. It can frightening to have God that close to us to serve us; and it makes us ask if God is really like that. And then it mandates us to do the same if we are to reveal God’s presence in the world.
In Jesus’ community, we become great only by serving the needs of others. And no one should be excluded. So here tonight I believe we all need to have our feet washed. Even if at first we protest like Peter did. We all need to be cleansed of our pettiness, our fears, and our insecurities.
The washing of feet is a powerful symbol that Christ is in our midst, just like we know that Christ is present in the Eucharist. By washing each others feet, it shows we are truly followers of Christ; that we are a people dedicated to the service of others.