“Then, what I've done, you must do.”

I was in the church today to get hosts from the tabernacle to take to the hospital — today is "my" Wednesday on the every-other-week schedule — and noted that the church is set up for tomorrow's Holy Thursday (Maundy Thursday) beginning of the Triduum, or three days, that culminate in the celebration of Easter.

While Easter is about the miracle of the Resurrection, the whirlwind Triduum begins with the celebration of the Last Supper. The Holy Thursday celebration of the Last Supper is my favorite Liturgy of the year. Yeah, yeah, Easter should probably be every Christian's favorite liturgy, but for me the Last Supper is the last private time that the disciples get to spend alone with the Divine. Peter doesn't want Jesus to wash his feet and Peter is told that he will deny the Master three times before dawn. Poor Peter. Peter is "every man" for me and he and the other ten or eleven are struggling with interpreting and understanding all that Jesus tells them is about to unfold. In the end, they cannot have had half-a-clue about what it all meant, and that's why this is my favorite liturgy.

But I digress. A Holy Thursday tradition in our parish for many, many years is the washing of the feet. The pastor and two lay-people wash the feet of anyone and everyone willing to come forward. (Okay, it's just one foot, but the symbolism and the power of the exercise are not diminished at all.) Meanwhile, one particular choir member has a solo with “Jesus Took a Towel,” by Chrysogonus Waddell, OCSO (d. 2008), http://www.hymnary.org/tune/jesus_took_a_towel
I look for the soloist when I walk in every Holy Thursday evening and he has told me that he looks for me, too. Ah, "community." :) Thank you for sharing your voice, Ron; you sing this so reverently and with such expression. It "gets me" e-v-e-r-y year!

One choir's recording on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=grG2fRVznqQ

In the image you see four of the six chairs for the parishioners who come forward. The pastor and the other two kneel in front of the chairs.

1 year ago (“More coffee refractions”): http://365project.org/rhoing/365/2014-04-01
2 years ago (“Portulaca”): http://365project.org/rhoing/365/2013-04-01
3 years ago (“Nature’s ‘SuperBall’?”): http://365project.org/rhoing/365/2012-04-01
4 years ago (“Now, now, kids!”): http://365project.org/rhoing/365/2011-04-01

[ DSCN6835S12x9tm :: P&S ]

[GaryW]

Great celebration Thom! I've only been part of one "foot washing". A couple of the deacon leadership felt the need to humble ourselves. It was a moving experience for most of us, but unnerving for some others. Thanks for reminding me of Christ's teachings.

[Rick Schies]

A nice quiet scene