On Tuesday, Reuben asked me whether or not I wanted my feet washed at the Holy Thursday mass by Father Pang. My initial reaction was a bit unsure, but, having already responded with an “I guess…”, I eventually became ready for it.

The washing of the feet takes place right after the priest gives his homily, before the general intercessions. I didn’t feel nervous, but I felt excited very calmly. It was a sort of “expecting” excitement. I had my right foot washed by Father Pang. Father Chen did the washing of the feet last year, but since then he has retired.

Now, Father Pang is a fairly prominent priest. He has already been the pastor of other Chinese parishes and was previously working at the Vatican prior to his stay at our church. He still travels a lot. It is somewhat awkward for someone so known as him to be washing my foot, or to be even at my feet. But he washed my foot both carefully and well.

The washing of the feet is a tradition that is done in remembrance of what Jesus did at the Last Supper, which Holy Thursday celebrates, starting the Easter Triduum. Jesus washed the very dirty feet of his twelve apostles. Initially Peter refused to have his feet washed by Jesus, their rabbi. But He is a servant– he is the suffering servant, the Messiah, that Isaiah had prophesied about, hundreds of years prior to his birth. At the same time, He is also the Ruler of all things, the Creator and Master of all things. And yet he washed his followers’ feet. They were very dirty feet. I assume he washed them well, also.

Jesus performed an extremely humbling act, as did Father Pang, although not quite as humbling, because Father Pang is not the Master of the universe– but nonetheless, it is still humbling. When I had my foot washed, I did not feel greater than Father Pang nor the others who had their feet washed with me. It is a great act of kindness on the part of the person who washes peoples’ feet, and it is a symbol to us, reminding us that we should serve others, forgetting all differences in who they might be. It was an expirence. As Jesus washed the feet of the apostles and as Father Pang washed our feet, so should we also humble ourselves and serve others.

Today is Good Friday. You may have a day off, but remember who and what the day commemorates.