Pastor’s Column

April 17th, 2025

My dear church family,

In a traditional Lenten season, our Holy Week services skip from Palm Sunday to Maundy Thursday and then to the Easter celebration. We often lose sight of the many significant events that took place during the last week of Jesus’s earthly life. This year, however, we have the opportunity to remember Jesus’ last supper and the dark day of his death. I am grateful for this, as looking carefully at these events deepens our understanding of the depth of God’s love and Jesus’s sacrifice for each of us and for humanity.

I hope that many of you can join at the Maundy Thursday dinner and communion tonight at Christ Episcopal Church fellowship hall at 6:30. If you have not yet RSVP’d, don’t worry, this is church… you will be welcomed. But please RSVP now at https://cec.breezechms.com/form/901b3e There will be an opportunity to have your feet washed if you would like. Foot washing will remind us of Jesus’s willingness to humble himself to wash the disciples’ feet. It will also bring thoughts of the gift of foot washing which Mary did for Jesus with her expensive oil.

Anointing of the head was reserved for those who were being crowned as king. Psalm 23 includes the words, “You anointest my head with oil…” These words are traditionally attributed to King David. The anointing of Jesus’ head symbolically points to his identity as the Son of God and his reign as king of all. In the Apostles’ Creed we say, “the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty.” Acts 2:33 shows that Christ is exalted at the “right hand” of God. In Ephesians 1: 20-23 we read:

20 God put this power to work in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly places, 21 far above all rule and authority and power and dominion and above every name that is named, not only in this age but also in the age to come. 22 And he has put all things under his feet and has made him the head over all things for the church, 23 which is his body, the fullness of him who fills all in all.

In Luke and John, Mary is depicted as anointing the feet of Jesus, not his head. In three of the four narratives, those at the dinner with Jesus complain of the “wasteful” use of the expensive ointment. Jesus, however, graciously accepts the gift of anointing, rebuking his companions for their complaints. Later in John Jesus says to his disciples, “You call me Teacher and Lord; and you are right, for so I am.” (John 13:13.) In accepting the anointing, he is acknowledging his rightful place as God and clearly reveling his identity to those at the dinner. He is demonstrating that it is right for costly ointment to be spread on the head, or feet, of a person of his stature.

A few days later, Jesus is eating the Passover meal with his disciples in the upper room. The author of the gospel of John relates that Jesus rose from the meal and took a towel and basin and began to wash the feet of the disciples. This task was typically the responsibility of the household servant or slave, not of an honored guest. Jesus explains to those whose feet he washes, “I have given you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you.” (John 13:15)

As I have pondered the attention given to the feet of the people attending these two meals, I have seen that Jesus fully acknowledged his divine identity. Despite his identity, Jesus humbled himself to serve his followers. As he said, he did it as an example. May we, as we wash our own feet, or allow another to wash our feet tonight, remember the humility with which Christ the King willingly served others. And may we have the grace to follow his example.

Praying for a willing heart,
Pastor Cindy