An intimate act of love
An intimate act of love
Chris McDonnell
At the end of a long day there is something very satisfying in kicking off our outdoor shoes and finding a pair of slippers for the evening. Only when it is bedtime will we remove socks or tights as we prepare for a nights sleep.
In the Judea of Roman times, the shoes would have been sandals and they would very likely have been worn on bare feet. In consequence, on arrival at a house, your own home or that of a friend, the prospect of a good foot washing would have been welcomed.
It was a lowly job, undertaken by a servant. Given the attitudes of the time, that servant would more than likely have been a woman. It was an action placed firmly at the bottom of the social pile.
That is why when we are told in John’s Gospel account of the Last Supper that Jesus knelt and washed the feet of those who had shared the meal this action went against the grain of the times. The one who was Lord undertook an action totally out of place within the social custom of the time. Even Peter protested the experience.
No comments:
Post a Comment