Footwashing

Jesus knew that the Father had put him in complete charge of everything, that he came from God and was on his way back to God. So he got up from the supper table, set aside his robe, and put on an apron. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the feet of the disciples, drying them with his apron. When he got to Simon Peter, Peter said, "Master, you wash my feet?"

Jesus answered, "You don't understand now what I'm doing, but it will be clear enough to you later."

Peter persisted, "You're not going to wash my feet—ever!" Jesus said, "If I don't wash you, you can't be part of what I'm doing."

"Master!" said Peter. "Not only my feet, then. Wash my hands! Wash my head!"

Jesus said, "If you've had a bath in the morning, you only need your feet washed now and you're clean from head to toe. My concern, you understand, is holiness, not hygiene. So now you're clean. But not every one of you." (He knew who was betraying him. That's why he said, "Not every one of you.") After he had finished washing their feet, he took his robe, put it back on, and went back to his place at the table. Then he said, "Do you understand what I have done to you? You address me as 'Teacher' and 'Master,' and rightly so. That is what I am.

So if I, the Master and Teacher, washed your feet, you must now wash each other's feet. I've laid down a pattern for you. What I've done, you do. I'm only pointing out the obvious. A servant is not ranked above his master; an employee doesn't give orders to the employer. If you understand what I'm telling you, act like it—and live a blessed life.

John 13:3-17

A MODERN DAY FOOT WASHING

A True Story as witnessed by Gina Lynch

(the names have been changed to protect the identities of those involved)

In 1997 I was working at the Salem Mission, a Homeless Shelter for men and women. In addition to homeless adults we served low income people in the community at our daily Soup Kitchen and Food Pantry. I was working during the supper hour, when a man named Sam came up to me and told me it was urgent he speak with me. He told me that Elaine was at his house and that her legs were so swollen she could barely walk. He said that they had tried to get her to see a doctor but she adamantly refused. Someone told her I was at work at the Mission and she sent Sam to find me. She said she would do whatever Gina suggested. But the catch, I couldn't go see her till morning she wasn't "ready yet".

The next morning I asked my husband Ian to come with me because I was a little afraid of the neighborhood and also of what I might encounter there. Sam lived in the worst section of Salem at that time. He lived in a very small apartment in an extremely run down building. We arrived early the next morning to find at least 6 people still hung over from the night before. After being warmly greeted we found Elaine sitting at a table in the corner of the "kitchen" area. Sam told everyone to leave to give us some time alone with Elaine. I asked her what the problem was and she told me her legs hurt, they burned and ached and she couldn't really walk on them. I asked her to pull up her pant leg and show me and they were indeed extremely swollen. They looked very bright red and so swollen they were about 3 times the normal size. I asked her why she wouldn't see a doctor and she said she hated doctors and she wouldn't go. After much coercing I finally asked, “what if I can get someone to come here and see you?" I suggested Kathleen, who used to be the nurse at the shelter. She agreed. Now I just had to find Kathleen and convince her to come! I told Elaine I would be back shortly after I got Ian to work. I called the VNA and asked for Kathleen. She had been promoted to an executive type position at the VNA. When I explained the situation to Kathleen, she told me she would meet me at Elaine's place immediately. I was impressed. I met her out front, so she would know the place. She got out of her car dressed like an executive. Her expensive, smartly matched off-white suit, pantie hose, classy high heeled shoes, and perfectly coiffed hair. She couldn't have looked more out of place.

Let me describe the apartment. You enter from the street through a door that opens directly into the living room. There were no windows in this room at all. It had walls that I suppose at one time were an off white or light tan but they were so coated with nicotine that they were a dirty brown. There was one stuffed chair near the door, and a TV. Across from the TV was a couch. Then another couch formed an L. Because the room was so small this left very little room to walk between the couches and the TV. The walls had holes, as did all the furniture and the place was strewn with empty beer cans, vodka bottles and dirty ashtrays. The room was shaped like an L and on the other leg of the L was the "kitchenette". It had a sink (at least I assumed that was what was under the pile of dirty dishes), 3 empty cupboards above the sink and one light on the wall above the sink. The fridge stood next to it and the stove was on the other side. Across from the sink was the only table with 3 chairs. Next to the table was a doorway that led to very small bedroom with one window and another door next to that one that was the bathroom. The entire apartment had only the window in the bedroom. The entire place seemed dark and it took some time to let your eyes adjust. There was leftover food, dirty dishes, ashtrays overflowing, and empty beer cans everywhere. The floor looked as if it had never been mopped, ever. Elaine sat in a chair at the table. I watched 3 roaches chasing each other up the wall next to where she sat. The place smelled of stale alcohol, stale ashtrays, body odor and urine.

I introduced Kathleen to Elaine and she began to talk softly to her assuring her that she would look at her and see what could be done. She asked Elaine to pull up the pant legs and although Elaine tried, the pant legs were so tight they could only be raised about an inch. Kathleen said, “oh my, let’s get your shoes off and have a look at your feet." At this, Elaine lowered her eyes and got teary. She told us that she had not taken her shoes off in over 3 months because the last time she did, someone stole her shoes while she was sleeping. Kathleen innocently asked how she bathed if she didn't take her shoes off. Elaine said she didn't, because she had a fear of water ever since her long time boyfriend Ray drowned. Kathleen then got down on her hands and knees and removed Elaine's shoes. I was about 3 feet away and the stench was so strong it caused the gag reflex and I had to try hard to keep myself from vomiting. Kathleen never batted an eye and continued on with the task. I looked at Elaine and she had tears softly, silently falling down her cheeks. She mumbled that she was so embarrassed. Elaine's once white socks were blackened with wear. Kathleen tried to remove the socks but they literally had to be peeled off, they were so stuck to her feet. A layer of skin and grime came off with it. All the time, she talked quietly and gently to Elaine. At this point Kathleen asked me to find a basin of some sort and wash it out so she could soak Elaine's feet. I went to the sink and started moving things around to look and as soon as I did, roaches started scattering in every direction. I found a dishpan and some dish soap and washed it out then filled it with warm water and the packet of stuff that Kathleen asked me to put in it. I then handed her the basin and she began to wash Elaine's feet. As I watched in awe, there seemed to be a bright, glowing light pouring into the place around them (as I said there were no windows except the bedroom and that door was shut) a voice whispered in my ear "You are witnessing Christ in action." It moved me to tears. I have often thought of this day and pondered….Who was the Christ? Was Jesus the beautifully dressed woman who despite the filth, got down on her knees to wash the feet of one who was the “least, the last and the lost?” Or was Jesus the one whose feet were being washed, come in the form of “the least of these”? Where do you see Jesus?