Loved to the End
by the Rev. AJ Ochart
Sermon Notes
This week, I will be on vacation, and Trey Austin will be preaching.
I am writing this while listening to the horrific news of our ‘regime change’ war of aggression on Iran. Our prayers for peace, both in the middle east and in the United States. Our prayers for all of the innocent lives which have already been lost, those who apparently lived too close to past Iranian leaders, the students and teachers at the girls’ school in southern Iran that was blown up soon after they arrived, those caught in the crossfire of tiny men’s delusions of grandeur. Prayers for military personnel being used as cannon fodder and pawns, especially those who have little control over their movements and orders. Prayers for the power-hungry, delusional, and dementia-ridden leaders of the United States and Israel who cry ‘peace, peace’ while they had no intentions for peace. Prayers for our Congressional (so-called) leaders who are constitutionally responsible for declaring war, but are impotently letting things unfold (hoping that it will help them in the midterms). Prayers for the international leaders who may be able to work to make actual peace in spite of mad kings. Prayers that God’s will might be done. Prayers that we might somehow be saved from the brink of destruction, that justice might roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever living stream, that God would scatter the proud in the imaginations of their hearts, and bring down the powerful from their thrones.
How interesting that we are reflecting on Jesus’ act of self-emptying humility on this Sunday. As you will hear, this foot washing takes place during Holy Week, at what is often called the ‘last supper.’ Bridging the gap between last week’s reading and this one, we hear about Mary’s anointing of Jesus’ feet with precious perfume and her hair, an act of love that Judas Iscariot is critical of. We then get a glimpse into the halls of power, where the Sanhedrin and high priest declare that Jesus must die because of his raising Lazarus from the dead. We skip over the triumphal entry, which we will return to on Palm Sunday. John’s gospel then gives a brief overview of Jesus’ ministry, connection with gentile believers, warning about his death, and continued conflict with the leaders. We now turn to the ‘last supper’ account, which does not include an institution of the Eucharist, but Jesus’ act of self-emptying servitude. We will not be enacting this foot washing this week, but we will come back to it during Holy Week on Maundy Thursday, and participate in a foot-washing then.
This act in John’s gospel then begins an extended section of teaching and prayer from Jesus that we often call the ‘farewell discourse’ (which we will be hearing on Maundy Thursday). We will be skipping over this section, and next week consider Peter’s actions after Jesus’ arrest.
Questions to Ponder
– The disciples, especially Peter, seem to be uncomfortable with Jesus’ washing their feet, why do you think that is?
– How do you think Church history would be different if foot washing was seen as a Holy Sacrament?
