Good Friday
April 14, 2017
Fr. Manger
 
We listen to this story about the passion and death of Jesus, and we have heard it many times, I would like to quote just one sentence. It was Caiaphas who had counseled the Jews  that it was better that one man should die rather than the people.
 
Don’t try to find some thread of justice in the trial of Jesus, like how they found evidence against Jesus . All of that puts veils on the underlying motive and force of the determination first of one man, then coupled by those whom he convinced to end the life of Jesus. The whole thing was not about this or that being wrong it was about the need for Jesus to die. It all flows from that one leak in the dyke, that one stolid determination. Pilate could find no wrong and then crowds just shouted irrational yells calling for crucifixion. It is so awkward. It dosen’t make sense for people to shout crucify him. We hate it we don’t want to give it voice.
 
As we go through this narrative it is placing us in the terrible position of rejecting goodness. It is trying to demonstrate for us that our sins are rejecting the goodness that God lays in front of us. But we are blind to it. You say that you can see but you are blind.
 
Yesterday, Father Jamail presided at the Holy Thursday Mass. He washed the feet of twelve people.  He said that this is what the Eucharist was all about. Probably not one of those 12 got up this morning and said This is a great day Father Jamail washed my feet. More likely it was not a memorable experience.  And yet it was and it is. You see it was Jesus who washed those feet. Father Jamail washed feet, not because it was nice to imitate Jesus, and give a lesson. He was a Priest ordained by the church taking part in a ritual commanded by the Church, to take place all over the world for all time, to take the place of Jesus in that ceremony and wash the feet as Jesus did. In that church ceremony, he was Jesus washing the feet of those 12 people.  Father Jamail washed as the church commanded just as Father Jamail forgives in the confessional as Jesus and the church commands, just as Father Jamail  gives his body, the body of Christ as food for to eat and empower us to be like Jesus washing feet.
 
The washing of feet is more important than we imagine, you see, it changes things.
When Jesus was brought to the Sanhedrin and asked about his mission. Caiphus should have knelt down and washed Jesus feet. He should have opened his ears and his eyes to the goodness that Jesus was. 
When Jesus was brought to Pilate, and questioned, Pilate should not have washed his own hands but the feet of Jesus.
When a scared 12 year old boy in mexico is running from a drug cartel and comes to a wall as he goes north and there is a space in the wall and he puts his foot through, are we there to wash his foot?
When a rich man leaves his mansion, gets into his car and drives to the gate protecting his property and there is a beggar, does he stop his car and go wash the feet of that beggar whom God has placed there.
Three months  before his birth with feet fully formed a developing child hears the struggles of his mother not knowing what will happen and he sticks his foot out, will she wash it?
Are we only going to wash the feet which are the same color as ours, only if they are already clean, already from our family and not the family next door?
There is a leader in North Korea  who is patiently waiting for a very important  person from America to come and wash his feet, and bring with him ships loaded with food and clothing  and medical help for the poor and desparing.
Can we go to the prison and wash the feet of those who need to know that today Jesus was in prison. Can that water on those imprisoned feet, that living water instill and break through the entanglements of their poor upbringing and crime to know that God does forgive them if they reach for that forgiveness and cleansing.
Isn’t it interesting that although scripture is silent about it, that on the way to calvary we celebrate a young girl with a towel coming to dry the face of Jesus in his agony.
 
A couple of weeks back we had the Lenten Ecumenical service here at St Anne’s. Ministers of six Christian churches were here in the sanctuary. We should have washed each other’s feet. However, it might have been a complicated affair getting up, siting down, bowls and water,  so we replaced that with other gestures of friendship, a sign of peace, joining in praise song, and prayer were our ways to showing that are not worst enemies but fellow Christians who want to publish Christ and the goodness of God. In fact we should not have worst enemies at all, but wash the feet of all.
 
All of us are born not knowing how to wash but others lovingly took the task till they could train us to do our own washing in private. Later when there are times of troubled health and need of surgical attention and medicine the feet are in need of washing again.  Everyone feet.
 
Today we look to Jesus on the cross. He was raised  up high, and from there he feels rejections and abandonment and yet he washes. From there he is overlooking our sins because we don’t know what we are doing.
He wants us to join him as forgiving people.
So in this ceremony today.
It is because his blood was coming from him to wash,  on this day it is that the Church community brings before the  Heavenly Father who is receiving this awesome sacrifice the long list of serious intentions. 
These are not some ideas we made up in the back room before the ceremony, but these are a list of intentions which the church has published for ceremonies over the whole world to cover all the places that need scrubbing.
We are making a total wash with giant machines as we recite with the whole church all those situations that require the blessing, the forgiveness, the publishing of the goodness of God, the solemn intention of this service.
 
After that In this ceremony
It is because of Jesus washed us from his cross that we assemble to venerate the cross on which he offered final prayers for us and forgave.
 
Finally, In this ceremony.
It is because we continue to be weak and in need of support then we come to share in communion with him and each other, the bread of life for the continuing journey on our mission.
 
Oh there is a collection for the holy Land.