We can Receive No More (Maundy Thursday)

Readings, Exodus 12:1-14 and John 13:1-17, 31-35 
Image, Sister Oksoon Kim (김옥순 수녀), The Bread of Life from Heaven (2014)

Jesus kneels to wash Peter’s feet, and Peter gets it wrong twice. In the first instance he fails, in a way so many have failed, indeed in a way Peter has already once failed, to understand that the Son of Man comes to serve, not be served. Fails to see that Jesus has emptied himself of his equality with God so that through this God shall be glorified and all things restored. Peter still yearns for the messiah who will not bend, suffer, or die. He still wishes to preserve his vision of Christ, who would not stoop to tend to one as lowly as he. But Christ replies, unless I wash you, you shall have no share with me. Necessary to receiving all that Christ shares: the inheritance of righteousness and grace, we must acclimate ourselves to the reality that we need Christ. That Christ has come for us, that Christ indeed will go to every length to make us his own beloved. We are worthy of such attention, worthy of such grace, worthy of such love, worthy of such salvation, because we need it, just like everyone else.
 
Which leads us to Peter’s second mistake. Having understood that such an act of Christ is necessary to receive the share of his life, Peter goes “well, you can’t have too much of a good thing, wash too my hands and head. Imagine what share I’ll receive if I am triply washed by the Messiah of God.” But this is unnecessary. We cannot receive more of what Christ offers us. Grace is not incrementally allocated, salvation is not unequally bestowed, Christ’s love is not doled out in portions. What Christ achieves on the cross is once for all. In that singular, sufficient event, each and all are ushered under the umbrella of Christ’s grace, reconciled to God, and made a new creation. The disciples have long jostled for greatness and proximity to the Lord in his glory, but there are not two-tiers of Christians. We each have the same need, and each receive the same share; one body, one church, one priesthood, one baptism.
 
And because of this, there is just one, very simple commandment. Love one another, as I have loved you. The disciples will not be known because they received any special initiation, or could show they didn’t need Christ’s service. The disciples will not be known from the length or intimacy of their relationship with Christ. Disciples are known to be Christ’s (then as now) when they love one another as Christ has loved us. A love which was displayed with humility and tenderness, beauty and compassion, righteousness and justice, solidarity and commitment, intention and equity. A love which was exemplified in the washing of feet, the breaking of bread, and the abiding kindness of Christ’s presence with those he loved until the end.
 
Let us ready ourselves in silence, to receive the share that Christ has prepared for us, which is nothing short of his own divine life, remembered in the bread and the cup.