The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1954-03-20
BY RALPH ROGERS
The New Commandment. John
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The New Commandment. John
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This ''New Commandment" il
today's lesson is over nineteen hun
dred years old. It was new to the
disciples and to the church people
of Jesus day. It is new to far toe
many church people today, people
who claim to be Christian. Can we
measure our loyalty to Christ and
our sincerity by this rule, that
you love one another; even as
have loved you, that you also love
one another. BY this all men will
know that you are my disciples. u
To emphasize the lesson Jesus
wished to impress upon his follow
ers, he did an unusual thing. He
washed the feet of his disciples.
It was so unusual that Peter OBJ
jected strongly to Jesus doing such
a mental task. Such things were
left to the most mental of servants
in the oriental household, yet Je-
sus insisted on so serving his dis
ciples. He wished to gve them an
example of humility and to show
them what God was like.
Instructions are given and rules
made for the harmonious running
of the home. Children listen and
at the same time are keen obser-
vers of what goes on. Unless the
parents practice what they teach,
children are likely to form indep-
endent ideas and too often 60
astray. The story is told of the
lad who was urged to go to Sum
day School. One day he simply
checked up on the results of such
a school. He asked his mother if
his father went to Sunday School.
When told that his father as boy,
did 60 every Sunday he said, "You
see, it didn't do him any good. !"
Example is far more impressive
than simple instruction. Jesus gave
ms disciples an example of how
brotherly love operates in the lives
of men. Humility is prerequisite.
At that time men knew little
about what God was like. Jesus
sought to show them. The God of
the Hebrews was understood to be
almighty and supreme but so far
above and beyond them that they
could not reach him.
A few had come close to God -
Moses ON Sinai, Enoch and Elijah
who had talked directly with God,
but all the rest worshipped at a
distance. Between them and God
was an impossible gulf They had
observed the gods of the Greeks
and Romans and knew that people
generally were far above their pa
gan gods. Now comes Jesus, God
incarnate, with towel and water to
serve in a mental task - as an
example of love. Jesus was as far
above men as the stars in the hea-
vens. yet he condescended to serve.
Little wonder that Peter said,
''Thou shalt never wash my feet. "
While it was no doubt embarras-
sing to have their Lord and Master
wash their feet, it was an example
which they could never forget.
We might ask why our churches
do not practice foot washing today.
With the early Christian Church
foot washing was obligatory. 1t is
practiced by some sects today.
Augustine says that the rite was
observed on Maundy Thursday and
the Patriarch of the Greek Church
washes the feet of twelve beggarS
on Greek Easter. Sometimes the
Pope observes the rite. AS per-
formed by some it is traveSty on
the original act but it does show
that ChriSt's example Of service
and humility is evidence of gen
uine love. Too often we do lip SER
vice only and the Book of Com
mon Prayer expresses our predi.
cament perfectly, eve have left
undone those things which we
ought to have done; and we have
done those things which we ought