Holy Week

We are now in Holy Week. I know God has been blessing me this Lent, but not in the way I expected. I do not feel more strength, but rather more helplessness. I do not have more answers and confidence but rather more emptiness in the face of human diminishment. Prayer is not richer, it’s more silent.

Soon it will be Holy Thursday and the commemoration of the Last Supper. As I reflect on the readings for this day, and the longer discourse in the Gospel of John, two messages are clear: Jesus more fully knows his identity now as his ministry on earth is coming to an end, “…fully aware that the Father had put everything into his power and that he had come from God and was returning to God…” He and the Father are one.

Secondly, what he wanted the disciples to most remember he said in words and demonstrated in action. Through the washing of the feet, the breaking of bread, the sharing of bread and wine he modeled the way we are to live our lives – in service to each other. Jesus gave explicit instructions to his disciples, and to us, in case there was any doubt. When we give of ourselves to others, we do what Jesus did. And, as Jesus confirms this week, It is only by giving of ourselves that we become our fullest self, our truest self.

We caregivers are often like Peter – “you will never wash my feet.” We must first let Jesus wash our feet before we can wash the feet of others. We too often try to give before we receive. We will not know how to be with others, how to serve others, unless we have let Jesus be with us, serve us.

This week, as we pray with Jesus through his passion, let’s also invite Jesus to be with us in the hard places of our lives.

Diane Jorgensen