1 Apr 2021
Dirty Jobs with Jesus
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For 1 April 2021, Holy Thursday, based on John 13:1–15
Now before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. The devil had already put it into the heart of Judas son of Simon Iscariot to betray him. And during supper Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God, 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. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, ‘Lord, are you going to wash my feet?’ Jesus answered, ‘You do not know now what I am doing, but later you will understand.’ Peter said to him, ‘You will never wash my feet.’ Jesus answered, ‘Unless I wash you, you have no share with me.’ Simon Peter said to him, ‘Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!’ Jesus said to him, ‘One who has bathed does not need to wash, except for the feet, but is entirely clean. And you are clean, though not all of you.’ For he knew who was to betray him; for this reason he said, ‘Not all of you are clean.’
After he had washed their feet, had put on his robe, and had returned to the table, he said to them, ‘Do you know what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord—and you are right, for that is what I am. So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you.
Scripture passage from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright 1989, 1993, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
01 April 2021 @ 5:42 am
Wow Jesus Wow.
Thank you
01 April 2021 @ 8:43 am
How powerful, realistic, down to earth is your preaching today Ann. Thankyou for such deep insights.
02 April 2021 @ 12:04 am
Thank you, Ann, for your reflection on this Holy Thursday 2021…your words give me the courage to do the dirty work that God puts before me this day…with respect and compassion…
02 April 2021 @ 2:07 am
Your words give even greater dignity to the work and workers of the so-called “dirty jobs.” They are the continual incarnation of God’s love for us. Thank you, thank you workers, thanks be to God.
02 April 2021 @ 3:20 am
I usually take the storm of chaotic emotions that come against me over these days as an ‘attack’, but after listening to your homily, I think no, I am asked to enter into the mess, and let God do the healing, the mending, the washing. If he uses me to also wash, clean etc., I will know when that is and I hope I will have courage to respond. Blessings over these Holy days my friend.
02 April 2021 @ 3:43 am
Ann, I always appreciate your homilies but today’s was especially exquisite! I work among folks incarcerated, leaving incarceration and reincorporating into the community. It is work in physical, emotional and spiritual dirty places. Thanks for blessing these places with the solidarity of Jesus as we enter into this Triduum with his example.