Presence

“The world is charged with the grandeur of God.” (Gerard Manley Hopkins)
I dwell for a moment on the presence of God around me,
in every part of my body,
and deep within my being.

Freedom

By God’s grace I was born to live in freedom,
free to enjoy the pleasures He created for me.
Dear Lord, grant that I may live as You intended,
with complete confidence in Your loving care.

Consciousness

Jesus, thank You for this moment where I am conscious of Your presence with me. Help me to be more and more aware of Your presence in my daily life, and in everyone I meet.

The Word of God

¹Now 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. ²The devil had already decided that Judas son of Simon Iscariot would betray Jesus. And during supper ³Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands and that he had come from God and was going to God, ⁴got up from supper, took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself. ⁵Then 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. ⁶He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” ⁷Jesus answered, “You do not know now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” ⁸Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no share with me.” ⁹Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” ¹⁰Jesus 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.” ¹¹For he knew who was to betray him; for this reason he said, “Not all of you are clean.”

¹²After he had washed their feet, had put on his robe, and had reclined again, he said to them, “Do you know what I have done to you? ¹³You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for that is what I am. ¹⁴So if I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. ¹⁵For I have set you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you.

Inspiration

There are many ways to pray with a long gospel passage. It may be helpful if you start reading, then pause when a word or part of the story speaks to you. You might imagine being present and watching as Jesus washes the feet of the disciples. Or you could imagine yourself as a disciple waiting for your turn to have your feet washed. Do you feel worthy to have Jesus wash your feet? Peter failed to understand the deeper meaning of the example Jesus was setting. You might pray for an understanding of what God has done for you.

Conversation

What feelings are rising in me as I pray and reflect on God’s Word?
I imagine Jesus Himself sitting or standing near me and I open my heart to Him.

Conclusion

I thank God for His gift of love
as I go forth with joy and hope
to serve His people.

Amen