The Gift (04/17/2025)

Painting by Ford Madox Brown

I have several “favorite” readings in scripture. Close to the top of this populated list is John 13 and Jesus washing the feet of the disciples. It illuminates another favorite reading from 1 Peter 5:5, “Put on the apron of humility and serve the LORD.” Then I found this painting by Ford Madox Brown of the foot washing. It became a powerful symbol for me.

When I discovered the painting from the 19th century, I sought to find a copy of it. I lucked out and found a poster size copy of it which I purchased. I showed it to my husband and told him I was going to have it framed. Then it disappeared. I searched everywhere for it to no avail. Then on Valentine’s Day that year, my husband gave me a large, wrapped gift. When I opened it, it was Brown’s painting beautifully framed.

I took it to my office at the Diocesan Center. When I left the diocese and went to the seminary to teach, I took it with me and hung it in my office. Daily, as I entered my “workspace” the image of the foot washing greeted me. It reminded me of my calling to serve.

When I retired from the seminary and technically “retired,” I was cleaning out my office when a 4th year seminarian stopped in to chat. As he was leaving, he spied the painting, still on the wall, and told me that painting would always remind him of me and my call to others to “put on the apron of humility and serve the LORD.” Without thinking, I took it off the wall and gave it to him saying, “It deserves to be hung in the office of an ‘active’ servant.”

And the truth is, I have missed that painting ever since. I am not sorry that this young man has it to inspire him daily. But I miss its visual message. I realized after my “retirement” that one never really “retires” from servanthood. And I have found a plethora of ways to put on the apron and serve.

Our Lord Jesus Christ could have done so many things on the night before He died for us as our loving redeemer. He gave us the Eucharist which brings me a true sharing in His life. And He gave us this example of servanthood. And I will always believe that the two are tethered together. I know that I have found my Savior and Lord in the strangest places at the oddest of times when I have been willing to don that apron in love.

Today, Holy Thursday, as we hear the reading from the Gospel of John recounting Jesus’ washing of the disciples' feet and His call to the disciples to become servants, to follow His example, let us consider ourselves blessed to be among those called to put on that apron of humility and serve the LORD. Let us commit daily to serving our LORD by serving other. There is so much need; there are so many ways.

Until tomorrow, let us all love well.