(This is the text of the homily by Cardinal Wilton D. Gregory, the archbishop of Washington, at the Holy Thursday Mass of the Lord's Supper on April 1, 2021 at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle.)
Human cultures vary greatly in their diverse customs, principles and traditions, as we are all quite aware. Moreover, these differences often do not travel very well or pass intact onto other cultures and people. Rituals and practices from one culture are often misunderstood or even disdained by another culture.
In the Middle East, for example, the soles of human feet are considered among the least noble of all the human body parts. If you have ever visited some of the sacred places in that part of the world, you perhaps have noticed that the local traditions may often prohibit allowing one’s feet to be prominently displayed, especially in front of prominent people. It is offensive to allow the soles of one’s feet to be pointed toward statues of Middle Eastern sacred images. In many nations, one would never expose one’s feet in the presence of any person of high honor or dignity.
Many of you might recall that shoes have often been used as projectiles in acts of protest, against overthrown potentates or public figures. You might recall that when Saddam Hussein was removed from office, people took off their shoes and struck his statues with them in acts of rebellion and public dishonor.
Proper hospitality and etiquette in many of these nations would include providing water to wash the dust from one’s feet as a gracious sign of welcome. The New Testament refers to this custom on a number of occasions. Servants would ordinarily be entrusted with such a menial task of hospitality – until we encounter the Christ – the Servant of all.
The full meaning of such gestures is often lost on a society like ours where flip-flops, pedicures, and bare-footing are a usual part of summer. We all like to uncover our feet to the sun, to the air and even to one another. It’s a sign that it is summer when we let our toes enjoy some well-deserved freedom.
In many parts of the world, feet are reserved and not often publicly displayed or honored as such – until we encounter Christ the Lord. He is a foot-washer, acting as a common servant entrusted with the humble actions of washing the feet of his guests.
(Cardinal Gregory delivered the next part of his homily in Spanish, with the translation following.)
Este gesto de lavar los pies es sin duda uno de los símbolos más llamativos de la Semana Santa. Además, como todos los símbolos religiosos y culturales, tiene muchos significados. Es claramente un símbolo del deseo de la Iglesia de poner de relieve nuestra necesidad de cuidarnos unos a otros, especialmente aquellos que quizá pueda que no sean ricos, poderosos o importantes. También es un símbolo del oficio sacerdotal que siempre debe imitar el modelo de Jesús, quien desafía a Sus apóstoles a seguir el ejemplo que Él les ha dado. También es un símbolo del deseo de la Iglesia de extender la hospitalidad a todos aquellos que vienen a nosotros como hermanos y hermanas.
This gesture of foot washing is certainly one of the most striking symbols of Holy Week. Moreover, like all religious and cultural symbols, it has many meanings. It is clearly a symbol of the Church’s desire to highlight our need to care for one another, especially those who may not be rich, or powerful, or important. It is also a symbol of the priestly office that must always pattern itself after Jesus who challenges His Apostles to follow the example that He has given them. It is also a symbol of the Church’s desire to extend hospitality to all those who come to us as brothers and sisters.
Those whose feet I will soon wash also represent our desire to honor everyone within the Church. It is often difficult to entice some folks to have their feet washed on Holy Thursday. The ritual may embarrass many. The Eucharist is not merely a gift that we each receive, or a presence that we may venerate, but it is also a mandate for each one of us to serve one another in His image.
In the Middle East, it would be unthinkable for the host to wash the feet of his or her guests – most especially if the guests were not of the same class or rank as the host himself. It would be inconceivable to allow a high class individual to wash the feet of an inferior – as Peter clearly recognized in today’s Gospel passage. However, Jesus is one who breaks traditions in order to establish a lesson of humility and service. “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.”
Each time any one of us approaches the Eucharist, we are renewing our pledge to care for one another in that most sacred and humble tradition of being willing to bend down and wash even the feet of our friends and neighbors, our classmates and co-workers, our fellow Catholics, perfect strangers, and those whose faith traditions may differ from our own. We are people who willingly wash the feet of others after the One who began this sacred custom and tradition – even in a part of the world where feet were not then and are not now regularly honored – except by the Lord Himself.
