A Maundy Day

Maundy Thursday:
1440, from M.E. maunde "the Last Supper," also "ceremony of washing the feet," from O.Fr. mandé, from L. mandatum "commandment," in reference to the opening words of the church service for this day, Mandatum novum do vobis "A new commandment I give unto you" (John xiii.34), words supposedly spoken by Jesus to the Apostles after washing their feet at the Last Supper.
ETYMOLOGY ONLINE

....So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord; neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.

The root of this practice appears to be found in the hospitality customs of ancient civilizations, especially where sandals were the chief footwear. A host would provide water for guests to wash their feet, serve the guests by washing their feet, or even provide a servant to wash the feet of the guests. This is mentioned in several places in the Old Testament of the Bible (e.g. Genesis 18:4; 19:2; 24:32; 43:24; I Samuel 25:41; et al.), as well as other religious and historical documents. A typical Eastern host might bow, greet, and kiss his guest, then offer water to wash his feet. Though the wearing of sandals might necessitate washing the feet, the water was also offered as a courtesy even when shoes were worn.

wiki

"....Odysseus, still in disguise, was called up to meet Penelope, his wife. She had heard one of the rude suitors had attempted to strike him. For a man to show no hospitality to a stranger was an outrage to Penelope, and she wanted to offer the man her apologies. Penelope asked her nurse, a woman named Eurycleia, to wash the stranger's feet. Odysseus was worried that the nurse, who had raised him from infancy, would recognize him from a scar on his foot. Sure enough, she did, but she said nothing."

Eurycleia washes the feet of Odysseus, 440 BC:

Today, Maundy Thursday, many churches across the nation (and the world) will practice the ritual of feet washing in remembrance of the actions of Jesus at the Last Supper he had with his apostles. I hope we can do more than practice a symbolic ritual once a year. Especially in these times - more than ever - small kindnesses practiced daily can touch others in ways we can't even know. We sometimes look for the "big" signs that God is alive and well in our world. More often than not, those "signs" are not so easily noticed. And they come about in the least expected of places and from those we may have a hard time seeing God in. But, I think that's how God and his angels work in the world. They rely on us more than you may know.

Hebrews 13:2
Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for by doing that some have entertained angels without knowing it.



One of the people I dearly miss in this world sang about things that stirred our souls. He, I think, understood that his gift of inspiratory verse was not of this world and made the most of his "preaching & teaching" through song. What some may not know about Harry Chapin was that he was as prolific in fighting hunger and poverty as he was at songwriting. Every other concert he performed had its proceeds donated to food banks, education, and feeding those in need. The night he died in a car wreck on Long Island, he was heading out to perform in yet another benefit concert. Here's to you Harry. You may have been an angel unaware: