May 17, 2015
Dirty Feet!
Welcome to the High Plains Preacher. Stories about high wind, fast horses, lack of
moisture and other elements of life in the Texas Panhandle. I’m Fr. Jim. Thanks for tuning
in.
A few years ago, the History Channel showed a documentary in which scientists used
computer technology to create a 3-D of the image of the face imprinted on the Shroud of
Turin. The result was the face of a young man with long hair and a beard. And scars. With
pools of blood stained the area around his brow.
According to the computer, Jesus was about 5’8″ and more muscular than the way
in which Jesus is generally portrayed today. But otherwise, the computer-generated image
looks very much the way any of us might imagine Jesus looked at the time of his death.
What Jesus really looked like has fascinated people for centuries. But we’re
fascinated not just with the way he looked, we’re also fascinated but what he did. Which
probably explains why we hardly ever see just a portrait of Jesus. Instead, he’s usually
depicted as a Shepherd or a Teacher or a Carpenter.
Well, each year, during Holy Week, the liturgy of the Church gives us different
images of Christ. And it’s far more accurate than anything you’d see on the History
Channel.
On Holy Thursday, we see him on his knees, washing feet, wiping away dirt.
You’ve heard people ask, “What would Jesus do?” Well, here’s the answer to that
question.
In the person of Jesus of Nazareth, God gets down on his knees…for us. He lowers
himself to become a servant, a slave. And, in the Holy Eucharist, given to us on the night of
the Last Supper, Christ becomes as ordinary and plain as a piece of bread.
After washing the feet of his apostles, he says, “As I have done, so also you must do.”
Keep this in mind: before he held up the Bread and said, “Do this in remembrance of
me;” before he held up the chalice of Wine and said, “Do this in remembrance of me;” he
put down a basin and held up a towel and said, “As I have done, so you must also do.” As I
have washed away the dirt on your feet, so must you wash away the dirt on the feet of the
people around you.
Sometimes it’s a dirty look. Sometimes it’s a dirty lie. Sometimes it’s a dirty website.
Let’s face it, there’s no lack of dirt between our toes. And to wash away that dirt means we
have to forgive one another…including ourselves.
“As I have done, so also must you do.”
This is Fr. Jim, the High Plains Preacher.