❤❤❤ JESUS WASHES THE APOSTLES FEET❤❤❤❤

JESUS WASHES THE APOSTLES FEET
❤Jesus stands up, He makes John stand up to come out of His place more easily, He goes
to the chest and takes off His red tunic and folds it placing it on His mantle, which is
there already folded, He girds Himself with a large towel and He goes towards another
basin, which is empty and clean. He pours some water into it, He takes it to the middle
of the room, near the table, and puts it on a stool. The apostles look at Him
dumbfounded.
«Are you not asking Me what I am doing?»
«We do not know. I tell You that we are already purified» replies Peter.
«And I repeat to you that it does not matter. My purification will serve him, who is
already pure, to become purer.»
He kneels down. He unties the Iscariot's sandals and washes his feet, one at a time. It is
easy to do so, because the couches are made in such a way that the feet are in the outer
side. Judas is astonished and does not say anything. Only when Jesus, before putting the
sandal on the left foot and getting up, makes the gesture of kissing his right foot, that
has already been shod, Judas withdraws his foot violently and with the sole strikes the
divine mouth. He does so unintentionally. It is not a strong blow. But it grieves me so
much. Jesus smiles, and to the apostle who asks Him: «Did I hurt You? I did not intend
to… Forgive me», He says: «No, My friend. You did it without malice and it does not
hurt.» Judas looks at Him… A worried elusive look…
Jesus passes on to Thomas, then to Philip… He goes round the narrow side of the table
and arrives at His cousin James. He washes his feet and when getting up He kisses him
on his forehead. He passes on to Andrew, who blushes with shame and makes efforts
not to weep, He washes his feet and kisses him like a baby. Then there is James of
Zebedee, who goes on grumbling: «Oh! Master! Master! Master! You are lowering
Yourself, my sublime Master!» John has already untied his sandals and while Jesus is
bent drying his feet, he kisses His head.
But Peter!… It is not easy to convince him to submit to the rite! «You want to wash my
feet? Do not even think about it! As long as I live, I will never allow You to do that. I
am a worm, You are God. Each to his own place.»
«You cannot understand now what I am doing. Later you will understand. Let Me do
it.»
«You can do anything You like, Master. Do You want to cut my neck? Do so. But You
will never wash my feet.»
«Oh! My Simon! Do you not know that if I do not wash you, you will take no part in
My Kingdom? Simon, Simon! You are in need of this water for your soul and for the
long journey you have to take. Do you not want to come with Me? If I do not wash you,
you will not come to My Kingdom.»
«Oh! my blessed Lord! Then, wash all my body! Feet, hands and head!»
«Anyone who, like you, has had a bath, needs only to have his feet washed, as he is
completely pure. The feet… Man walks with his feet on filth. And it would not be much
either, because, as I told you, it is not what enters and comes out with food that dirties,
and it is not what settles on his feet on the roads that contaminates man. But it is what
smoulders and matures in his heart and comes out from it, which contaminates his
actions and limbs. And the feet of a man with an impure spirit go to orgies, to lust, to
illicit business, to crimes… Therefore, among the various parts of the body they are the
ones that have much to be purified… with the eyes and mouth… Oh! man! man! A
perfect being for one day: the first one! And then so corrupted by the Seducer! And
there was no malice in you, man, no sin!… And now? You are all malice and sin, and
there is no part in you that does not sin!»
 598. The Passover Supper. 256
Jesus has washed Peter's feet, He kisses them, and Peter weeps and takes Jesus' two
hands in his own big ones and he rubs them against his eyes and then kisses them.
Simon also has taken off his sandals, and without one word he lets Jesus wash his feet.
Then, when Jesus is about to pass on to Bartholomew, Simon kneels down and kisses
His feet saying: «Cleanse me from the leprosy of sin, as You cleansed me from the
leprosy of my body, that I may not be confused in the hour of judgement, my Saviour!»
«Be not afraid, Simon. You will come to the heavenly City as white as mountain
snow.»
«And what about me, Lord? What are You going to say to Your old Bart? You saw me
in the shade of the fig-tree and You read my heart. And now what do You see, and
where do You see me? Reassure a poor old man, who is afraid he may not have strength
and time to become what You want him to be.» Bartholomew is deeply moved.
«You must not be afraid either. I then said: “Here is a true Israelite in whom there is no
deceit.” Now I say: “Here is a true Christian worthy of the Christ.” Where do I see you?
On an eternal throne, dressed in purple. I shall always be with you.»
It is Judas Thaddeus' turn. When he sees Jesus at his feet, he cannot control himself, he
rests his head on his arm laid on the table and weeps.
«Do not weep, My sweet brother. You are now like one who must endure the
extirpation of a nerve and you think that you will not be able to stand it. But it will be a
short pain. Then… oh! you will be happy, because you love Me. Your name is Judas.
And you are like our great Judas: like a giant. You are the one who protects. Your
actions are those of a lion and of a young roaring lion. You will rouse the impious who
will withdraw when you face them, and the wicked will be terrified. I know. Be brave.
An eternal union will strengthen and make perfect our kinship in Heaven.» He kisses
his forehead as well, as He did for His other cousin.
«I am a sinner, Master. Not me…»
«You were a sinner, Matthew. You are now the Apostle. You are one of My “voices”. I
bless you. How far have these feet walked to come more and more forward, towards
God… Your soul urged them and they left every way that was not My way. Proceed.
Do you know where the path ends? On the bosom of your Father and Mine.»
Jesus has finished. He takes the towel off and washes His hands in clean water, He puts
His clothes on, goes back to His seat, and while sitting down He says: «You are now
pure, but not all of you. Only those who wanted to be so.»
He stares at Judas of Kerioth, who feigns he does not hear Him, intent as he is on
explaining to his companion Matthew how his father decided to send him to Jerusalem.
A useless conversation, the only purpose of which is to give an attitude to Judas, who
however bold, must feel ill at ease