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Hi everyone, my name’s Karl Hand. I’m an elder of MCC, and recording this here in Wangal Country in the Eora Nation, in the lands now called Australia and Sydney, and just delighted to be sharing with you this reflection and prayer for Maundy Thursday.
I saw a beautiful piece of artwork recently, which reminded me of the Maundy Thursday story, where Jesus is washing various people’s feet. And the first person whose foot he washes is a Ukrainian woman holding a Ukrainian flag, and hanging on to her baby. And then the next person whose feet he’s washing is a Russian soldier, with that hard, traumatized look in his eyes.
And he washes the feet of a child who just wants to play in the water, and a teenager scrolling through his phone, who’s just bored to be there, and a celebrity who’s got all of these expensive clothing items on, and this brilliant set of shoes, and he’s just chatting to Jesus.
And then an anti-vax protester, and a pro-vax protester and a nurse in protective equipment, who is exhausted, and a police officer who has been at those rallies, and a boy with a skateboard.
And it just reminded me of the incredible power of Jesus’ commandment that we remember he gave to us on this Thursday in Holy Week where he said, “this is how people will know that you’re my disciples, because of the love that you show to one another.”
And he demonstrated that love by washing the feet of people who were all very different, and not all of whom are attractive to us, not of all whom we agree with, but that demonstration of love.
And I think that’s such a beautiful vision for us as a church, as MCC, because we demonstrate God’s love in so many different ways, but at the heart, and the core of it all is just that demonstration of unconditional love and service, and acceptance of everyone exactly where they are, and exactly how they are.
And I want to pray and say, “God, would you help us as a denomination in the midst of all the things that we do, the things that we achieve, the things that we stand for. Would you help us to be a people who demonstrate the love that you showed to us, that receive it and become your disciples and pass it on to other people. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen”
God bless you, and thanks for watching.
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