John 13 (08/12/2026)

We all have favorite biblical texts that speak to us. Mine is John 13. As I sat to write the blog for today, I looked up and there it was, my favorite image of my favorite text – The Foot Washing.” It calls me to servanthood.

John 13 begins with Jesus’ awareness of the betrayal of one of his own disciples, then it shows us Jesus, the servant, washing the feet of his disciples. It ends with “I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another” The gospel text shows Jesus giving us the example of servanthood even to those who will disappoint and betray us.

At the outset of the reading, we hear that Jesus loved his own in the world and that He loved them to the end. We could take that “to the end” to mean the conclusion of his life on the cross. But the word used here – telos- can also mean “to the fulfillment” of his life. I have always taken it to mean the latter, that Jesus loved us, even those who would betray and deny him, as part of the fulfillment of his mission. And He gave us the example of the foot washing, of service through the selfless care of another not for expectations of return but out of love. And we are told that we are to do this until the end, until the fulfillment of our lives, our missions here on earth.

As followers of Christ with this image of Jesus on his knees, with a towel around his waist, washing the dirty, smelly feet of his followers, even the one who would betray him, even the one who would deny even knowing him, should move us to do what we can willingly, eagerly. The good that is within us is there to be spent.  Love, like manna, will rot if hoarded. We are called to do what we can, when we can, with all we can in loving kindness and service.

As we continue our spiritual journey, let us commit to being the kind of servants to others that Jesus modeled to us and called us to in his final days and instructions. Let us vow to do all the good we can wherever we can whenever we can with whomever we can. Let us pledge to be those who respond to needs seen without thought of repayment or even of gratitude, willing to do the good that is needed in the moment without thinking of ourselves. Let us shed the word “convenience” and pick up instead “conversion” – turning toward the true “light of the world” to illuminate our paths and our decisions. Let us hear Christ’s command to love one another as He has loved us and allow his truth to light our way to life with Him in abundance.

Let us continue to pray for those in our lives and our world who are suffering. But let us not stop with prayer. Let us lend ourselves to the LORD as instruments of the divine will. There are needs all around us. Let us be present to those who are on the journey with us. Let us be willing to get on our knees to serve selflessly our LORD with love.

Until tomorrow, let us all love well.