The National tribune., 1891-10-08

Church think The custom may have originated
from the fact 10 is hcid chat lu angel appeared
TO So. Gregory the Grcas when Do daily i.d H.
POOR men.
I'm the lesson there is nothing against feet
washing % q religious rite. and. in These days
% religions liberation, they who see BIO CErisEs
act the command for feet washing rs an 1-di.
nance OF the Church should find welcome and
approval, without criticism, prejudice or riG.-
cuIe.
o N9ir8
Christ loved the human race ard camc to
earth in the interest OF humanity. he never
wJvercd for o moment in his love Of mankind.
The agony OF the next day, toTesscu ny uIm,
did not cause him 90 rggrct his mission on earsh.
lF. - Here we see love, bus 30 s made che
more intense BY tive coHtrss.ed hatred Of satan
who. having tempted our savior to dCsi-t effort
for our salvation, persists iu % struggle %
tIwart his saving mission. He followed up bis
opposition. Hc will try 90 ruin Christ through
one Of his own Apostles, viz Judas 0E 2.9
Mud this love o. Christ IS made still mere con-
spicuous by tire treachcrv Of the ID scip'r Per-
dIt.0I may be false, Satan may misIesd, the
Apostle may betray, thrist5 enemies may cru
city him, but Jesus remains true.
We mUss recall the manner Of dining among
tie Jews. Tho guests rgc.iHc on coucar5, with
feet toward the walls Of the room and heads
toward tine table The c0uches are placed on
three sides Of the table leaving tl. fourth
side clear. The walters walk up and down be-
tween the table and the heads of the touches.
With feet thus projecting away from the table
and the bodies Of ths guests quite prone 10 i5
easy 20 see how Christ could proceed convent
emily TO wash the feet Of the Disciples. We mqy
suppose ST. John reclining next to Christ
ll3 23.) lt seems st. Peter was 10 the
greatest distance, since we may infer his feet
were the last washed.
bitlOu. They even quarrelcd among themselves
as 70 prospective honers. Jesus Taught Them
just before his death, under most impressive
C circumstances, the beautiful and needed lesson
Of humility, Before washing his Disciples
feet be assumes the outfit Of n servant 90 being
IN Oriental countries the duty Of meu.aIs to
wash the feet Of guests Wearing sandals
through dusty roads, the first noel Of traveller
was the cleans NJ Of his feet 1ien then wore
maHt.es over their ordinary suits Laid aside
garments va means simply that De removed
his cloak, which was long and loose and which
would hence be in the way when one acted as
n waiter. Then % tighten more closely about
his person his tunic or suit under Che mantle,
he used for kind Of belt a towel. Thus
appare.ed as q servant ne took basin Of water
and washed the feet Of his Disci Pies wiping
them with the end of the towel which. being
/ long, not only served for belt. but also for a
towel 10 seems the Disciples made no Oh &C.
tIOn until Christ reached st. Peter That
/ APOSTLE saw uu6tness in the Master serving his
| meHIals. Either, in his ambition his pride ia
/ bis Master was TINS crushed or else he realized
/ the iucougruity Of a Lord becoming a slave
l 1t IS quite clear the Disciples bad no mental
/ 20 serve them. They hence recined at the
/ Passover with feet unwashed No one of the
| number saw the impr1priety Of this with 5uff-
[ cIent ending Of conscience or sufficient degree
\ Of humility % take the position Of servant aud
wash tho feet Of the company. Seeing this
/ Christ determined % set an example Hc had
Interior objects IN view, as is clear from v. z.
Hereafter" may refer to the world after death,
/ or possibly vs.. 1917 explain. Our Saviors
| act was a practical command. When hc would
wash st. Peters feet it wiz not do for that
| Disciple to refuse permission. Such conduct
/ would be rebellion, djsObelCnce, and we are
/ not Christ's Disciples unless We keep his COM
randmeUts nv. 81 Seeing 50 much depend
/ ing on his assent, st. Peter, to make up for de-
clcu5icu, becomes too willing. One going into
the street sandalel would soil only his feet, and
would need 70 have only his feet washed. (Vs
10, 10 Then. there is such thing rs spiritual
cleaning. In this respect, one Disciple viz
| Judas, was wanting " TO- Having washed
the feet Of all the Twelve our Savior put on
| again his cloak and resumed his seat at the
table The act performed, Christ set all the
Twelve 20 thinking as TO the significance of hi;
7 strange conduct It would seem none could
guess the object Of the act and therefore Christ
/ explained (Vs. 1910
10. Conclusion.
The important lesson taught is that we ought