ubi caritas et amor, deus ibi est

i have a confession to make.  holy thursday is my favorite part of the triduum.  i think you're probably not supposed to have a favorite part, or if you do, theologically it should be the easter vigil.  i do love the whole triduum, but there is something very special to me about re-membering the last supper, about gathering together around the table...yes, like we do every sunday, but in a more intentional and explicit way.  tonight we celebrate in a special way what it means to break bread together, to wash each other's feet, and to be the bread of life in the world.  who isn't moved by the image of jesus and his best friends sitting down, sharing a meal together- the most important meal of all?  but the beauty of it is that jesus invites us to share in this meal too - he calls all of us to the table.  

i love this re-creation of da vinci's last supper, which includes women and children.  it is by a polish artist named Bohdan Piasecki, and is not only supposed to be more historically accurate than da vinci's, but also sends a much more inclusive message.  all are welcome.  jesus offers his body and his blood for all of us- not just a select few.  

and about the whole feet-washing thing.  this is a beautiful ritual which i have seen done two different ways, both significant.  the church i grew up in selects twelve different people each year to have their feet washed by the pastor.  they do a good job of having a mixture of ages, races, gender, etc.  tonight they even washed a two-year-old's feet!   my current church has six stations set up, and everyone is invited to come up and have their feet washed, and then wash the next person's feet, until everyone has washed and been washed.  this takes a bit longer, but its symbolism just moves me to no end.  this is what jesus asks us to do in the real world every day!  do we live up to this call?
 

"If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet,
you ought to wash one another’s feet.
I have given you a model to follow,
so that as I have done for you, you should also do."

-John 13:14-15