Jesus commissioned his disciples to be servants. We remember the foot washing ritual that took place in commemoration of the Last Supper on Holy Thursday of Holy Week. When I go on the Camino in Spain, I often encounter a lot of mud on the trail, since Northern Spain has a very rainy climate and a lot of earthen trails and roads. You can just imagine what it is like getting the gooey mud in the nooks and crannies of your hiking shoes, of mud splattered all over your pants. It is not a pretty sight. The streets of ancient Israel often had mud, garbage, and debris all over the place, so when someone entered a house of his host in sandals or bare feet, the lowliest servant of the household would meet the guest at the door to clean his feet before entering. When taken in that context, Jesus’ act of washing his disciples’ feet at the last supper is even more humble and more an act of lowly service than we imagine.
We live in a modern American world where everyone strives to be the best, when we want to be on top and better than everyone else. Often times we want to be served rather than to be the servant. How does that fit into the way Jesus calls us to service? Pope Francis has brought renewal, freshness, and energy to the Catholic Church since he was elected pope several years ago. Sometimes it is hard to hear this message of service in the midst of all that is going on in our lives. Pope Francis has stated that he wants his priests to be out with his people, to smell like the sheep. How can we incorporate that mandate into our daily lives? We are indeed called to follow the example Christ as we ourselves travel on our own journeys of faith.
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