Foot Washing Me? NEVER!

And then it happened. I attended service last night, known as Maundy Thursday. This is the evening that Jesus sat down to dinner with his disciples and began to wash and wipe their feet. It is this ritual that was repeated in my church of the Epiphany.

That's right! I' m supposed to take off my shoes and socks, and sit down on a little wooden chair. Then, someone kneels before me, pours water on my feet, washes them in a little basin and dries them with a towel.

For four years I have resisted this ceremony. I don't even like to get a pedicure. I find it degrading to have someone wash my feet.

All day I tried to invent things to do in order to be too busy to go to the service but as is happens when I argue with God - my attempts were futile.

Finally, God got me to the church at 6:45 just in time to share dinner with a very small group of people. The choir was bigger then the crowd. Obviously a lot of people felt the same way as myself. I ate some vegetable lasagna, had a glass of wine and headed to the front of the church.
A stranger from the street was seated next to me. I couldn't help but look down at her feet. She had on really dirty bright yellow socks, swollen ankles and big cloggy shoes on. " I hope I don't have to wash her feet", I thought to myself. What if she has really groody nasty feet? I can't do this!"

The readings began First 1 Corinthians which reminded me of the ritual of the bread and cracker being Jesus' body and blood, The second reading was The Gospel: John 13:1-27, 31b-35 and told the story of Jesus at the dinner and the foot washing ritual that he began.

Still not convinced I settled in to Andrew Mullins sermon. He talked about the importance of the ritual, about how Jesus thought it integral in Christian tradition, and how it could change ones relationship to our Lord. He was so convincing I decided right then and there to wash my feet.

I was so inspired that The ides of washing the dirty feet of the woman next to me seemed more of a challenge and less of an obstacle.

Strangely, sitting next to me was a pretty brunette named Christine. Christine and I were confirmed together and since then we've had one blow out which we shakily resolved. Christine turned to me and whispers. "Are you getting you re feet washed?" The girl who wouldn't nodded her head. "Yes, I was going to get my feet washed. Was I nuts? This was all Andrews fault. He inspired me and I followed."

Christine and I too off our socks and shoes. I watched as Andre took off his robe and a young priest- who I don't know seated himself in the wooden chair. He put his feet in the basin and Andrew poured some water over them.

Next it was Christine's turn. She got in the seat and the priest that had been washed, washed her feet.

Then it was my turn. I got in the seat. Christine knelt down in front of me and began to pour water on my feet. It didn't feel degrading at all. It felt nurturing, kind, gentle respectful and considerate. We were bonded in ritual and any problems that we might have had faded away.

After she dried my feet I got up and a stranger got into the seat. I thought to myself, "thank God it wasn't the dirty foot lady. I said a little thanks to God. This was my first time and that would be pushing it.

Turns out although I didn't know the name of the girls whose feet I washed it was awesome being in the position of washer and washed consecutively. From being served to serving, to kneeling to participating in ritual that Jesus himself thought important.

When I was done i could hardly contain my emotions. I was overcome my the feeling of love and humility that I felt. And when Andrew gave me that cracker it reaffirmed in myself that the body of Christ was really given ...just for ME!