"Jesus....got up from the table, took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was tied around him." These verses from John 13 were the basis for last evening's Maundy Thursday service. After Elizabeth's homily on servanthood, humility and loving one another, we all had the opportunity to come forward to have our feet washed and to wash the feet of another. It was a powerful moment of both giving and receiving in love. Being a nurse, it wasn't hard for me to wash the feet of another; I've done that hundreds of times. For me, it was much harder to receive this loving gift from someone else. How many times do I put up barriers to receiving? How often have I refused to ask for help, for what I need, for a loving kindness? Have I ever rejected an act done out of love and caring? Yes, serving others can be inconvenient, unpleasant and hard. Receiving service and love from others can be infinitely more difficult.
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