“Holy Thursday:
The Last Supper and the Washing of the Feet”
 
 
      The Last Supper is mentioned in Matthew, Mark and Luke’s Gospels but they were written much later than Paul’s First Letter to the Corinthians.
      “I received from the Lord what I also handed on to you, that the Lord Jesus, on the night he was handed over, took bread, and after he had given thanks, broke it and said, ‘This is my body that is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.’ In the same way, also the cup, after supper, saying, ‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.’ For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes.” (1Cor. 11, 23-26)
      John did not include that event in his Gospel but rather shared with us the moment of the Washing of the disciples’ feet. Jesus explained very clearly why he washed their feet.
“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, 14-16).
     The Gospel writers and Paul handed on to us the two above mentioned events through the written word. The icon writer does the same but through a “written” image.
     Thank you, Jesus, for giving us yourself as food to eat and drink. Strengthen us to always be available for others.
 
© 2017 Clyde Rausch, OMI