This evening, as we recall the Institution of the Lord's supper, we would expect the readings to highlight what Jesus did at the Last Supper.
The 1st reading recalls the first Passover meal, which is the most sacred meal of the Jews.
Jesus was with His disciples for the Passover meal, but during that meal, He made a profound change and it became the Christian Eucharistic meal.
The 2nd reading further highlights the Eucharist as a sacred meal in which Jesus gave the Church His Body and Blood, and He commanded that it be done in memory of Him.
That is why today is also called Maundy Thursday, which comes from the Latin word “mandatum”, which means mandate. Yes, Jesus mandated it to be done in memory of Him.
So, in the gospel, we might think that it will explain how bread and wine is changed into the Body and Blood of Christ.
Yes, it started off as a meal, and then during that meal, something surprising and astounding happened.
Jesus washed the feet of His disciples. From the lofty table of the sacred meal, the focus went down to the dusty feet of the lowly.
It was so dramatic that we will even re-enact the washing of the feet later.
Though the gospel didn't say how the bread and wine are changed into the Body and Blood of Christ, the washing of the feet tells us why Jesus gave us His Body and Blood.
It goes back to the whole purpose of salvation, that Divinity took on humanity, that God became man, the lofty went down the lowly, all because of love.
At the Last Supper, God showed us how perfect His love was, when Jesus washed the feet of His disciples.
It was the Creator washing the feet of His creatures. If that was unthinkable, then how about Jesus giving us His Body and Blood, and then dying on the Cross to save us?
But that is how perfect, that is how great, the love of God is for us.
Jesus, our Lord and Master, has given us an example so that we may do what He did for us.
We need not be foot-washers. We just have to go to the lowly and be lowly, and be care-givers, be love-sharers, be wounded-healers, be understanding-listeners, and be God’s witnesses.
Then the meaning between the Eucharist and the washing of the feet will be revealed to us.