Fr Mike's Message - Maundy Thurs 4/6/23

The Gospel: ​John 13:1-17, 31b-35
Now before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. The devil had already put it into the heart of Judas son of Simon Iscariot to betray him. And during supper Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God, got up from the table, took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was tied around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus answered, “You do not know now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no share with me.” Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” Jesus said to him, “One who has bathed does not need to wash, except for the feet, but is entirely clean. And you are clean, though not all of you.” For he knew who was to betray him; for this reason he said, “Not all of you are clean.”
After he had washed their feet, had put on his robe, and had returned to the table, he said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord--and you are right, for that is what I am. So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you. Very truly, I tell you, servants are not greater than their master, nor are messengers greater than the one who sent them. If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them.
“Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me; and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, `Where I am going, you cannot come.’ I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

Prayer: May the words of my mouth and the meditations of all our hearts be acceptable in Your sight, LORD, my rock and my Redeemer.

The Message: On Saturday last week, I had the opportunity to attend the Celebration of the Installation of The Rev. Matt Wahlgren as the Rector, at St Paul's, Fremont. Then on Monday, I traveled with Fr Seth, from Grace Sandusky to St Timothy's in Perrysburg for a Blessing of the Oils and a Clergy Renewal of Vows service.

This year, with the installation of Matt, and then with the Renewal of Vows service happening, as it did as part of Holy Week, I have been struck and reminded of the awesome responsibility and opportunity it is for me to have this role as Priest/Pastor.

Then I come before you at this service and I say: 
Fellow servants of our Lord Jesus Christ:  On the night before his death, Jesus set an example for his disciples by washing their feet, an act of humble service. He taught that strength and growth in the life of the Kingdom of God come not by power, authority, or even miracle but by such lowly service.  
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Therefore, I invite you who share in the royal priesthood of Christ, to come forward, that I may recall whose servant I am by following the example of my Master.

Isn't that a wonderful reminder to us all of the mutual opportunity we have to express our relationship in ministry here at Christ Church?

I have the wondrous opportunity to serve as Priest/Pastor. But as I was reminded at the installation service and the Renewal of Vows service I do that as a reflection of my service to, and for, or on behalf of, Christ, and the Bishop. 

Then I do it alongside you, in partnership with you, as a fellow minister of the Gospel with you.
 
I can only seek to exercise that humbling role of Pastor/Priest as Jesus lays it out:
"Jesus set an example for his disciples by washing their feet, an act of humble service. He taught that strength and growth in the life of the Kingdom of God come not by power, authority, or even miracle but by such lowly service." 
"that I may recall whose servant I am by following the example of my Master."

But I can't do that without proclaiming my relationship and invitation to you: 
"Fellow servants of our Lord Jesus Christ" "Therefore, I invite you who share in the royal priesthood of Christ"

We are intimately linked in this service together. As you play your part I am enabled to play mine and vice versa. 

May Our Heavenly Father, our Lord Jesus, and the blessed Holy Spirit move among us tonight in a new and fresh expression of the love that links us all in the work of bringing the Kingdom of God to be present here and now.

Will you join me? If not in coming forward to have your feet washed, then in recognizing your vital and necessary role as fellow servants of our Lord Jesus Christ and those who share in the royal priesthood of Christ.

I will say it again: We are intimately linked in this service together. As you play your part I am enabled to play mine and vice versa. 

So, brothers and sisters in Christ may we all open our hearts and minds to the spiritual reality of our role and responsibility to actively engage in bringing the Kingdom of God to the people of Huron, Erie County, and North East Ohio.
 
Perhaps, tonight the Holy Spirit might give us a glimpse of how, by doing the work of ministry together, in this place, we will influence the spiritual dynamic of this nation.
 
Perhaps we can join together in proclaiming the words from 1 Peter 2: 9 and 10:
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the excellence of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
Once you were not a people,
 but now you are God’s people;
 once you had not received mercy,
 but now you have received mercy.

May the Lord bless our ministry together. Amen​