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| Jesus Washing Peter's Feet. Ford Madox Brown. Source |
It was just
before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to
leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the
world, he loved them to the end.
He got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, "Lord, are you going to wash my feet?"
Jesus replied, "You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand."
"No," said Peter, "you shall never wash my feet."
Jesus answered, "Unless I wash you, you have no part with me."
When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. "Do you understand what I have done for you?" he asked them. "You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them."
On Thursday, March 28, 2013, Pope Francis washed the feet of twelve inmates at a juvenile detention center, ages 14-21. Included was a Serbian Muslim girl.
Previous popes have performed the ritual on Catholic priests. This is the first time a female, and a Muslim, was included in the ritual performed by a pope. According to Huffington Post, "Canon lawyer Edward Peters, who is an adviser to the Holy See's top court, noted in a blog that the Congregation for Divine Worship sent a letter to bishops in 1988 making clear that 'the washing of the feet of chosen men ... represents the service and charity of Christ, who came `not to be served, but to serve.'"
According to the International Business Times, "Chris Gillibrand, whose blog CathCon covers Catholic news, also disagreed with the pope's act. 'Given his active support for the charismatic movement in his Diocese, one can only be concerned that he could be prepared to ordain women," Gillibrand wrote. "How can the Pope maintain discipline in the Church if he himself does not conform himself to prevailing ecclesiastical legislation? [sic]'"
According to Pamela Geller at Atlas Shrugs, "this is stomach-churning dhimmitude. This isn't merely a lack of leadership; this is betrayal on an unimaginable level. Kill my people and I will wash and kiss your feet. For jihadists, this image could very well replace the burning twin towers as iconic of Islamic imperialism and conquest."
Eric Blake on Atlas Shrugs responded,
"You all are WRONG WRONG WRONG. Would an imam wash the feet of a woman? HELL NO! neither would Big Mo. She is being shown love, kindness and humility. This may be the one action that touches her heart and gets her thinking. This would never happen to her in her own religion. She is not a Devil, either, she is a human being who has been deceived by evil. You should all be ashamed of yourselves, especially if you are a Christian. P.S. I am not a Catholic, I am a Baptist"
Your thoughts?
He got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, "Lord, are you going to wash my feet?"
Jesus replied, "You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand."
"No," said Peter, "you shall never wash my feet."
Jesus answered, "Unless I wash you, you have no part with me."
When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. "Do you understand what I have done for you?" he asked them. "You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them."
On Thursday, March 28, 2013, Pope Francis washed the feet of twelve inmates at a juvenile detention center, ages 14-21. Included was a Serbian Muslim girl.
Previous popes have performed the ritual on Catholic priests. This is the first time a female, and a Muslim, was included in the ritual performed by a pope. According to Huffington Post, "Canon lawyer Edward Peters, who is an adviser to the Holy See's top court, noted in a blog that the Congregation for Divine Worship sent a letter to bishops in 1988 making clear that 'the washing of the feet of chosen men ... represents the service and charity of Christ, who came `not to be served, but to serve.'"
According to the International Business Times, "Chris Gillibrand, whose blog CathCon covers Catholic news, also disagreed with the pope's act. 'Given his active support for the charismatic movement in his Diocese, one can only be concerned that he could be prepared to ordain women," Gillibrand wrote. "How can the Pope maintain discipline in the Church if he himself does not conform himself to prevailing ecclesiastical legislation? [sic]'"
According to Pamela Geller at Atlas Shrugs, "this is stomach-churning dhimmitude. This isn't merely a lack of leadership; this is betrayal on an unimaginable level. Kill my people and I will wash and kiss your feet. For jihadists, this image could very well replace the burning twin towers as iconic of Islamic imperialism and conquest."
Eric Blake on Atlas Shrugs responded,
"You all are WRONG WRONG WRONG. Would an imam wash the feet of a woman? HELL NO! neither would Big Mo. She is being shown love, kindness and humility. This may be the one action that touches her heart and gets her thinking. This would never happen to her in her own religion. She is not a Devil, either, she is a human being who has been deceived by evil. You should all be ashamed of yourselves, especially if you are a Christian. P.S. I am not a Catholic, I am a Baptist"
Your thoughts?
I understand Ed Peters' concerns. They're not trivial, and those norms should certainly be applied at the parish level.
ReplyDeleteI consider two factors:
1. What is the meaning of the act? A political promotion of 'diversity'? No. Charity for the economically, emotionally, and spiritually poor? I'm inclined to say yes. I feel unsure about some things Pope Francis does, because approach-wise, I'm more comfortable with Pope Benedict and Blessed John Paul II. But I relish the discomfort. Why would I follow Christ if not to be disengaged from my ways so I can be drawn more deeply into him?
2. Pope Francis is -- wait, let me get this right -- oh yes, The Pope. The Papa. The one for whom we all prayed fervently as soon as we learned of Pope Benedict's resignation. I trust the Holy Spirit. Let's hold our opinions lightly and hold on to God tightly. Let's say, with St. Faustina, "Jesus, I trust in you."
Roz, thank you.
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