Thursday, April 26, 2018

“Authority is always built on service and sacrifice.”


Man's sin is in his failure to live what he is. Being the master of the earth, man forgets that he is the servant of God. Abraham Joshua Heschel: (1907 – 1972: was a Polish -born American rabbi and one of the leading Jewish theologians and Jewish philosophers of the 20th century.)

Gospel Text:(JN 13:16-20)
When Jesus had washed the disciples' feet, he said to them:
"Amen, amen, I say to you, no slave is greater than his master
nor any messenger greater than the one who sent him.
If you understand this, blessed are you if you do it.
I am not speaking of all of you.
I know those whom I have chosen.
But so that the Scripture might be fulfilled,
The one who ate my food has raised his heel against me.
From now on I am telling you before it happens,
so that when it happens you may believe that I AM.
Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send
receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me."

Today’s Gospel passage, which takes place before the Last Supper, immediately after Jesus’ washing of the apostles’ feet. In the light of Jesus’ crucifixion and death, this simple act of foot washing takes on greater meaning, as do Jesus’ words here: “no slave is greater than his master”. What do we learn about our own place as Jesus’ disciples—servants of His Father—if the Master took up for us, and died upon, the cross that we deserved?


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