Kneel at the Feet of our Friends

Jesu, Jesu, fill us with your love,

show us how to serve

the neighbours we have from you.

1 Kneels at the feet of his friends, silently washes their feet,

master who acts as a slave to them.  R

2 Neighbours are rich and poor, varied in colour and race,

neighbours are near and far away.  R

                                      Voices United 593

This is Maundy Thursday in Holy Week, with the "maundy" as a derivation of the Latin "maundatum", which means commandment. It's taken from the gospel writer John's telling of Jesus' last evening with his disciples. During their time together Jesus shares a meal with them -- what we often call  the Last Supper -- and he commands them to love one another. Jesus also performs an act of radical humilty and love when he washes their feet. This is turbo-charged service to others and an aspect of the love imperative. 

In preparation for our recent study group on Holy Week I turned to what I think of as a newer hymn even though it was written more than 50 years ago, and one which I really like for it's simplicity. I confess that I'd never noticed that the first verse has Jesus washing the feet of his friends while the fourth invites us to wash the feet of our friends. I just thought that the verse was repeated but the implication is that we will serve as Jesus served.Of course!

We can pray that our circle of friends will grow wider as we come to understand Christ's love more fully. 

3 These are the ones we should serve, these are the ones we should love,

all are neighbours to us and you.  R

4 Kneel at the feet of our friends, silently washing their feet,

this is the way we should live with you.  R