Jesus came to wash feet

Dearest Ones,

Most of us won't do spectacular things or get our names in the paper but that doesn't mean we're not important. God thinks you're important enough for Him to live right inside your soul. We need to remember God is not just someone in a picture, or a dead man on a cross - He's ALIVE!! The most important people in the world are the ones behind the scenes doing things that nobody sees. You parents who perform countless unseen acts of love for your children are just as important in God's eyes as any king or queen! A lot of people don't do anything unless they get the credit or unless they get a big thank you. But Jesus said if we get our recognition in this world, we won't get it in the next. In that case, I'd rather wait. Of all the things Jesus did when He was in this world, nothing was more unexpected than washing His apostles' feet. This was something that surprised everyone. It was a dirty job. He got a towel and a wash basin and began to wash those dirty feet of each apostle. Why? Jesus wanted to show that true greatness does not come from being important and powerful. He did something a lowly servant would do. "Those who want to be the greatest in God's kingdom must dedicate their lives to serving others." (Matt. 20:25-28) After raising 12 children, Mary Jo Copeland, a very saintly woman, has provided a place for hundreds of homeless families in Minneapolis for many years. I have met Mary Jo and she is a true servant of God. Each morning, she goes to a nearby parish church for two hours of prayer before attending an early morning Mass. Every day she gets down on the floor and washes the feet of several street people who stop there. In his retirement, the late Bishop Dudley used to wash feet there, too. Every day over a thousand people are fed a hot meal. Mary Jo receives no government funds - the home is run completely by donations and volunteers. The city is trying to shut down her place. This move comes on the heels of the new Twins ballpark stadium being built across the street. The poor, the disabled, the mentally ill will suffer. Please pray! A march is scheduled for April 17 to protest this threat. Mary Jo knows the work will continue because it is God's work, not hers. "What you do to the least of these, you do to me." (Mt 25-40) St. Paul reminds us , "Notice among yourselves, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you who follow Christ have big names or power or wealth. Instead, God has deliberately chosen to use those the world considers foolish and of little worth in order to shame the people considered by the world as wise and great." (1 Cor. 1:26-31) "He who is greatest among you is he who serves." (Lk 22-27) Christ, by His actions, made it very clear that He would not expect anything from us He was not willing to do Himself.....and so He washed feet. Why are some people brimful of happiness and running over with joy? It's because they have found the secret to true happiness - serving others. That is our reason for living. Loving people to the highest degree is serving them. The less you think about yourself, the happier you'll be and it's impossible to think about yourself if you're helping others. You don't know what a blessing God is holding for you if you serve others. When Jesus went to the home of a certain rich Jew, He was not made to feel comfortable or welcome. However, when a woman from the streets heard He was there, she came and with a basin washed his feet, poured perfume on them and dried them with her hair. The guests looked down on her and ridiculed Jesus for letting a so-called sinner wash His feet. But Jesus praised her and reminded His host that He received no welcome embrace and no one washed his feet when He came there, as was customary. He told them this woman had never ceased to show hospitality. The rich man who entertained Jesus has long been forgotten, but the woman who washed his feet will be known throughout the world until the end of time. Can you imagine what the world would be like if everyone was a servant? We probably won't literally wash feet, but don't underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring. They have the power to turn a life around. Wouldn't the world be different if everyone welcomed strangers, as if they are angels sent by God, as was true when Abraham entertained three mysterious guests? (Gen. 18) He had no idea who they were, but he washed their feet, asked the servants to kill a cow and served them. Only after the meal did they tell him they were angels sent by God to give him the happy news that he would have a long-awaited child at the age of 80! Why not treat everybody as if they were angels?

In God's love and mine,
Sister Francelle