Unless I wash you, you will have no inheritance with me

HOLY THURSDAY 9 APRIL (Jn 13,1-15)

Both with Peter and with the other Apostles, Jesus has always been firm, strong and resolute in affirming his truth, in a certain way we can say that despite having firmly rejected Satan, he rejects Peter’s temptation or affirms his truth with much more firmness. With Satan: “He fasted for forty days and forty nights, and afterwards he was hungry. The tempter approached and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, command that these stones become loaves of bread.” He said in reply, “It is written: ‘One does not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes forth from the mouth of God'” (Mt 4,2-4). With Peter: “From that time on, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer greatly from the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised. Then Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, “God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you.” He turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do”” (Mt 16,21-23). With the Apostles: “As a result of this, many (of) his disciples returned to their former way of life and no longer accompanied him. Jesus then said to the Twelve, “Do you also want to leave?” Simon Peter answered him, “Master, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe and are convinced that you are the Holy One of God.” Jesus answered them, “Did I not choose you twelve? Yet is not one of you a devil?” He was referring to Judas, son of Simon the Iscariot; it was he who would betray him, one of the Twelve”” (Jn 6,66-71). Why is Jesus strong in the same fortitude of God in defending his truth? What are the eternal reasons that want him so strong, without ever compromising? Why is he in a very special way strong with Peter, ready to exclude him from his mission?

Before the feast of Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to pass from this world to the Father. He loved his own in the world and he loved them to the end. The devil had already induced Judas, son of Simon the Iscariot, to hand him over. So, during supper, fully aware that the Father had put everything into his power and that he had come from God and was returning to God, he rose from supper and took off his outer garments. He took a towel and tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and dry them with the towel around his waist. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Master, are you going to wash my feet?” Jesus answered and said to him, “What I am doing, you do not understand now, but you will understand later.” Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “Unless I wash you, you will have no inheritance with me.” Simon Peter said to him, “Master, then not only my feet, but my hands and head as well.” Jesus said to him, “Whoever has bathed has no need except to have his feet washed, for he is clean all over; so you are clean, but not all.” For he knew who would betray him; for this reason, he said, “Not all of you are clean.” So when he had washed their feet (and) put his garments back on and reclined at table again, he said to them, “Do you realize what I have done for you? You call me ‘teacher’ and ‘master,’ and rightly so, for indeed I am. If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another’s feet. I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do.

Let us enter the mind of Satan and we will understand. The Angel of darkness knows that everything is from the truth of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. If he succeeds in freeing Christ, dissolving him from his eternal bond with the eternal truth of the Father and of the Holy Spirit, there is no salvation for humanity. This will always be under his rule of death and hell. He also knows that if he dissolves Peter from his indissoluble bond with the truth of Christ Jesus, the whole Church will fall under his rule. He might reap every soul for eternal damnation. Jesus is strong with Peter. Peter will be strong in the truth of Christ. The whole Church will be strong in the truth of the salvation of Jesus the Lord. If Peter is not strong, he could mislead many others. This is what Paul tells him: “And when Kephas came to Antioch, I opposed him to his face because he clearly was wrong. For, until some people came from James, he used to eat with the Gentiles; but when they came, he began to draw back and separated himself, because he was afraid of the circumcised. And the rest of the Jews (also) acted hypocritically along with him, with the result that even Barnabas was carried away by their hypocrisy. But when I saw that they were not on the right road in line with the truth of the gospel, I said to Kephas in front of all, “If you, though a Jew, are living like a Gentile and not like a Jew, how can you compel the Gentiles to live like Jews?” ” (Gal 2,11-14).

Mother of God, Angels and Saints, make us strong in the Holy Spirit in the truth of Christ Jesus.