Foot Washing

[Bruce S]

One of the things I vaguely remember from my Catholic Church youth, is the foot washing service. Is that still done? And when on the calendar?

[quote]John 13


Jesus Washes His Disciples' Feet

1It was just before the Passover Feast. Jesus knew that the time had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he now showed them the full extent of his love.[1]
2The evening meal was being served, and the devil had already prompted Judas Iscariot, son of Simon, to betray Jesus. 3Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; 4so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples' feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.
6He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, "Lord, are you going to wash my feet?"
7Jesus replied, "You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand."
8"No," said Peter, "you shall never wash my feet."
Jesus answered, "Unless I wash you, you have no part with me."
9"Then, Lord," Simon Peter replied, "not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!"
10Jesus answered, "A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you." 11For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean.
12When 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. 13"You call me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet. 15I [b]have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. [/b]16I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them. [/quote]

This is one of the things I wish were done more often, as it seems to be a direct command of Jesus at the Last Supper/Passover feast he attended before his death.

Does the Catholic Church still do this? If so, I will most definately attend this service, my church does not do this, and I honestly think all church's need to, as it seems to be a direct command, not symbolic as some have made it out to be.

Edited April 6, 2004 by Bruce S

[Sojourner]

We are having such a service Thursday at my parish.

[Bruce S]

I will check this out locally and attend that one if possible. Another chuch is having a Passover feast too, that is of interest to me personally.

[Jake Huether]

[quote]have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.[/quote]


Yes, Catholics still do this. However, I should point out that if you think Christ is commanding us to wash eachothers feet (specifically speaking) you are wrong. Christ is commanding us to be eachothers servants. "The servant is not greater than the Master". If God humbled himself to wash our feet, we must humble ourselves too. It isn't a command to wash feet. It is a command to humility and servitude. "Love one another, as I have loved you"

[Bruce S]

[quote]Yes, Catholics still do this. However, I should point out that if you think Christ is commanding us to wash eachothers feet (specifically speaking) you are wrong. Christ is commanding us to be eachothers servants. "The servant is not greater than the Master". If God humbled himself to wash our feet, we must humble ourselves too. It isn't a command to wash feet. It is a command to humility and servitude. "Love one another, as I have loved you"[/quote]

Eat my flesh = Literal

Wash feet = symbolic

Hey, get with the program here, why are some commands literal, and others symbol?

Calling the spirit of Cardinal Newman...CLEANUP IN AISLE FIVE NEEDED!

[dUSt]

[quote name='Bruce S' date='Apr 6 2004, 08:45 AM'] Hey, get with the program here, why are some commands literal, and others symbol? [/quote]
Because sometimes Christ spoke literally and sometimes Christ spoke symbolically. It's pretty basic.

[Anna]

The trick is to know when Jesus was speaking literally and when he was speaking figuratively.

Since we weren't there, and the apostles were, we rely on the teachings of the apostles, rather than our own understandings...

You have to understand what this ritual of footwashing meant.

In the Catholic Church, it's done only once a year, at the Mass of the Last Supper, and it is an awesome Mass. It is the beginning of the Easter Triduum: Three days of intense imagery, symbolism, and sacred ritual.

Good Friday is the only day on the calendar when Mass is not celebrated. The Scriptures are still read, and Holy Communion disributed. But there is no consecration upon the altar. We venerate the cross on Good Friday.

Saturday is the Easter Vigil, the most magnificent, splenorous Mass of the entire liturgical year. Only Christmas midnight Mass comes close, but all the symbolism of the Resurrection is so powerful at the Easter Vigil. The Church is cast in darkness, until the "Light of the World" enters, then the light spreads throughout the Church, as throughout the world...It's awesome. All the Angels and Saints are called upon to share our joy in the Resurrection.

Pax Christi. <><

[Jake Huether]

[quote name='Bruce S' date='Apr 6 2004, 07:45 AM']
Eat my flesh = Literal

Wash feet = symbolic

Hey, get with the program here, why are some commands literal, and others symbol?

Calling the spirit of Cardinal Newman...CLEANUP IN AISLE FIVE NEEDED!

[/quote]
Bruce,

It's actually very simple. Jesus said, "my flesh is REAL food, and my blood is REAL drink". I don't know how more direct he could be!

On the other hand, in the washing of the feet, Jesus wasn't setting an example of how to keep eachothers Hygiene up. This is an important moment. It is the climax of his entire ministry (the Last Supper). His message, taken in context with the surrounding dialogue/events, was a deeper message than "wash feet".

Aside from this, Bruce, we aren't coming up with this ourselves, as you are. The Church has taught this for 2,000 years!

If Christ had intended for the Apostles to wash eachothers feet on a regular Basis (like Eating and Drinking His Blood), then don't you think we'd see it in the Acts of the Apostles? Don't you think Paul would have wrote something on it? But we see Paul telling the Corinthians to eat the Body of Christ Worthily, lest they beaver dam themselves.

[Jake Huether]

[quote]Hey, get with the program here, why are some commands literal, and others symbol?[/quote]


Catholics have always been with the program. The reformation got rid of the "program", and tried to reinvent it.

Too bad...

[IcePrincessKRS]

[quote name='Bruce S' date='Apr 6 2004, 08:45 AM']
Eat my flesh = Literal

Wash feet = symbolic

Hey, get with the program here, why are some commands literal, and others symbol?

Calling the spirit of Cardinal Newman...CLEANUP IN AISLE FIVE NEEDED!

[/quote]
Jesus didn't say "Truly, truly, I say to you, wash each others feet" did he?

He DID say "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of man and drink his blood, you have no life in you."

[IcePrincessKRS]

[quote name='Jake Huether' date='Apr 6 2004, 11:22 AM']

Catholics have always been with the program. The reformation got rid of the "program", and tried to reinvent it.

Too bad... [/quote]

[popestpiusx]

[quote name='Jake Huether' date='Apr 6 2004, 12:22 PM']

Catholics have always been with the program. The reformation got rid of the "program", and tried to reinvent it.

Too bad... [/quote]
Very true Jake.
I'll refrain from giving my personal thoughts on some of the so-called "reformers." Maybe another time.

[Theoketos]

I believe that the Pope still does feet washing. It is Usually done by most parishes on Holy Thursday
[url="http://www.zenit.org/english/visualizza.phtml?sid=51112"]Ton o Info here![/url]

[PassionistF]

[quote name='Jake Huether' date='Apr 6 2004, 01:18 PM']Bruce,

It's actually very simple.  Jesus said, "my flesh is REAL food, and my blood is REAL drink".  I don't know how more direct he could be!

[/quote]
If I may, although this topic is about the washing of feet (celebrated in most Parishes on Holy Thursday), I would like to expound a bit on what was said concerning the directness of Jesus' words.

Perhaps looking further down the line in Scripture to John 6:66, where Jesus finished His Bread of Life Discourse. We read at John 6:60 where some of the Disciples showed concern after hearing Jesus Command to eat of His Flesh and Drink His Blood "Then many of his disciples who were listening said, "This saying is hard; who can accept it?" (and at John 6:66) "As a result of this, many (of) his disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied him."

If Jesus was speaking figuratively here, why do we not read about Jesus running after his frightened Discples saying something like [i]"Hey guys, I was just kidding, I didn't mean that you REALLY had to eat my flesh! Come back ....Please?"[/i]
To the contrary, Jesus turns to the remaining Disciples and asks: [i]"Do you also want to leave?" [/i]

But of course, I'm sure that this has already been covered well on these threads before.

[Bruce S]

[quote]Perhaps looking further down the line in Scripture to John 6:66, where Jesus finished His Bread of Life Discourse. We read at John 6:60 where some of the Disciples showed concern after hearing Jesus Command to eat of His Flesh and Drink His Blood "Then many of his disciples who were listening said, "This saying is hard; who can accept it?" (and at John 6:66) "As a result of this, many (of) his disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied him."

If Jesus was speaking figuratively here, why do we not read about Jesus running after his frightened Discples saying something like "Hey guys, I was just kidding, I didn't mean that you REALLY had to eat my flesh! Come back ....Please?"
To the contrary, Jesus turns to the remaining Disciples and asks: "Do you also want to leave?"

But of course, I'm sure that this has already been covered well on these threads before. [/quote]

You STOP always before Jesus explains this passage, and I know why, for it negates the Catholic Church position.

[quote]37On the last and greatest day of the Feast, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, "If anyone is thirsty, let him come to me and drink. 38Whoever believes in me, as[3] the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him." 39[color=red][b]By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive.[/b][/color] [/quote]

Clearly, the first command was couched in actual language, and seems clear, yet further on, He clarified that this was spiritual and not literal.