"Serve rather than be served" - Reflection on Holy Thursday

We are well acquainted with today’s Gospel reading – the washing of the feet. We are also relatively familiar with what we celebrate on Holy Thursday at the Last Supper of our Lord. Yes, aside from commemorating the Institution of the Eucharist, we also remember the Institution of the Priesthood. And, it is precisely for this purpose that the Church chooses this Gospel passage from St. John’s. For in this passage, Christ displayed a beautiful lesson for true service of others. He demonstrated in action what he had previously taught in words, “I have come to serve, not to be served” (Matthew 20:28).

In the course of the Passover meal, Jesus rose from his seat, poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet. What a shocking action! It is incomprehensible to the mind of his followers. It was evident from what Peter said, “You will never wash my feet.” Peter had all the reason to speak out incredulously; in the time of Jesus, only slaves would wash their masters’ feet because the action was in many ways very degrading and humiliating. 

Yet, here we find our Lord Jesus, the Son of God, bending down to wash these common men’s feet which certainly were not well-kept and nicely pedicured, and, as I imagine, didn’t smell too “pleasing.”

What a scandal! What a beautiful and touching scandal!

The Son of God Most High humbled himself even below the rank of his creature’s status so as to serve them. He did so because he wanted to teach his disciples a lesson. He himself said after having washed their feet:

“You call me ‘teacher’ and ‘master,’ and rightly so, for indeed I am.
If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet,
you ought to wash one another’s feet.
I have given you a model to follow,
so that as I have done for you, you should also do” (John 13:13-15)

This is the lesson we all need to learn. But in a very particular way, it is the lesson that the Church wishes her pastors to be reminded of.

It is undeniable that the life of a priest is marked with many sacrifices, and the people of God are aware of that. So, in many ways, they try to, for the lack of a better word, “comfort” their priest – that is to say, they take very good care of him.

This in itself is a wonderful thing for it speaks of the love of God’s people for the priesthood of Jesus. But it also presents a disadvantage. Because such goodness is shown to him, the priest can run the risk of thinking too importantly of himself. He can run the risk of turning into a master, rather than remaining as a servant. I have come across, more than one instance of such “masters” who enjoy such shocking luxuries and comforts when many of his flock have so little to live by. It is a sad reality. They seem to have forgotten the lesson of the washing of the feet. Or maybe, Christ’s teaching has become so unfashionable that it is too inconvenient to carry out.

I must not be too quick to judge and condemn for I, though, still am a seminarian, am still subject to the temptation of thinking too highly of myself. Even as a seminarian, I need to remind myself many times, if not every day, of the lesson of the washing of the feet.

The call to service in the priesthood of Jesus Christ is radical. It is radical because Jesus himself is radical. He desires nothing less from his followers. He himself had washed his disciples’ feet. He wants us to do the same. We are never too important to serve someone.

I recall the example of a wonderful priest. He was a well-known Franciscan Father who ran the largest Catholic religious house in the world. He supervised 650 friars. He was in charge of a publishing house which published magazines and religious articles for more than one million Poles. His name was Maximilian Kolbe. Renown as he was, Fr. Maximilian Kolbe chose to die in place of a nameless prisoner at Auschwitz. Fr. Kolbe had chosen the Savior’s path. He had not thought highly of himself. He was called to serve, and so he chose to give it all, even his very life to the lowliest of his brothers. That is the story of St. Maximilian Kolbe.

We must not romanticize today’s Gospel. It is beautiful, that is not questionable. But, like all teachings of Jesus Christ, it is also radical and challenging.

“If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet,
you ought to wash one another’s feet” (John 13:13).

The demand is clear, what then will be our response?