Blogging toward Thursday: Jesus loves stinky feet

This week, we're posting three lectionary blog posts: Maundy Thursday's today, Good Friday's tomorrow, and Easter Sunday's on Wednesday. For more commentary on the readings, see the Reflections on the Lectionary page, which includes current Living by the Word columns as well as past magazine and blog content. For full-text access to all articles, subscribe to the Century.

When Jesus moves away from the table, strips down, and ties a towel around his waist (John 13:4), I don’t think he is thinking about how stinky James’s feet always are, or about the bunions that have been growing on Matthew’s foot as they made their way to Jerusalem. Rather, he is in the process of inviting the disciples into the most wonderful life imaginable—one in which love, intimacy, and humble service bring both deep delight and freedom from trivialities.

This example, and the agonizing example of the cross, are freely-given gifts. Jesus addresses the disciples as little children. Perhaps the look on his face is that of the excited mother who is showing her beloved, confused daughter how to tie her shoes for the first time. At first, the child will be clumsy and awkward. But eventually she will do this naturally.