John 13:12-17

12 When he had washed their feet and put on his outer garments and resumed his place, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? 13 You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you. 16 Truly, truly, I say to you, a servant is not greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 If you know these things, blessed are you if you do them.

Prayer for the Day

Lord of Mercy and Grace, conform us to the image of Your Son, who though He is our Lord and master chose to sacrifice Himself that we might be saved. May we too sacrificially love those whom you put in our paths, for Jesus' sake we pray. Amen.

Francis from Assisi did not start life as a "saint." He admittedly hated the sick, especially lepers. He confessed that seeing them in their sickness left him feeling bitter. Then, he confessed, "the Lord Himself led me among them and I had mercy on them. And when I left them, what had seemed bitter to me was turned into sweetness of soul and body; and afterwards I lingered a little and left the world."

It may well seem bitter to us to help those who seem to be doing little to help themselves, and can, therefore, offer little to us. But Jesus insists that in "washing one another's feet" - offering lowly service - we will, in fact, be blessed. How can this be?

We are blessed in doing these things because we realize how great was the Lord's love for us that he stooped down to earth to save us from our sins. The Lord did not leave us in the bitterness of sin. He lingered with us on earth so that the bitterness of death might become the sweetness of eternal life through his victory on the cross and his glorious resurrection. No servant is greater than his master. But our Master came among us as one who serves.