It’s Holy Week…

These are the days when the Church slows down long enough to watch, listen, and remember what our salvation cost.

Jesus gathered His disciples to observe the Passover. The room held familiar rhythms of the feast—bread, cup, story, promise—until, in the middle of the meal, Jesus stood up. He took off His outer garment, wrapped a towel around His waist, poured water into a basin, and moved toward dirty feet. Some were repulsed by what He was doing; Peter resisted and initially refused—to which Jesus replied:

“Unless I wash you, you have no share with me.” 

John 13:8

Jesus humbles Himself as a demonstration of confidence—the aim of the Incarnation—and a prefiguring of the ultimate display of humility in His ensuing Passion. The towel points to the cross. The water basin anticipates His shed blood. The One who stoops to wash their feet will soon stretch out and surrender His hands to save the world.

As Jesus removes His outer garment and assumes the role of a servant, we witness the confidence of the One who knows who He is—and whose love is so settled, so sure, that it can afford to kneel. Can you hear Jesus saying:

“For this reason the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it up again. I have received this command from my Father.”

John 10:17-18

This is the sureness of heart beneath the stooping posture: Jesus is not being diminished by service; He is revealing Himself through it. Because He belongs to the Father, because His life is held in the Father’s hands, He is free to take the lowest place without fear. That is confidence—and it always looks like humility.

So, what?

We might think it’s enough that Jesus has done all these things for us—and it is our only hope. Yet Jesus also requires these things of us. Not as a way to earn His love, but as the shape His love takes when it finally reaches our hands and feet.

Hence, we observe Maundy (Commandment) Thursday—because Jesus’ humility is not merely something we admire; it is something we are called to imitate:

“For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you.”

John 13:15

May we possess the confidence that cultivates humility—and the humility that enables us to serve others with love,dignity, patience, and joy.

Good morning, I love you all!

ihs,

just adam