Maundy Thursday Sermon

In our Gospel this evening, we hear about the crumbling of a man named Peter. We receive a preview of a resurrection, and hear a new commandment. To begin, I would like to introduce you to another St. Peter, and another Resurrection—this time, St. Peter and Resurrection are two schools in hurricane swept Mississippi. But I believe you will hear that the commandment, to love one another, weaves it way into both stories.
In Pascagoula, Mississippi, there are two pint-sized little girls who were brought together by Hurricane Katrina. Their names are Anna, and Kered, and they are third-graders at Resurrection School. Before the storm, nearly all the students at Resurrection were white. Kered, who is black, attended St. Peter the Apostle, an all black school. But Katrina caused Kered's school to crumble, and along with it 100 years of racial separation. St. Peter had nowhere else to turn for its students to learn, so it was decided all the students, black and white, would go to school together at Resurrection.
Anna, a white student said, "I didn't think it was very fair (that it took so long to go to school with black children). That's why Martin Luther King was here. I kept hoping other 'colored' kids were gonna come here." And Kered, the African American child said "I loved St. Peter with my whole heart. I always wished I could have black friends and white friends. The fall of St. Peter lead to unity at Resurrection school. Children were united through Resurrection, and these children were able to follow a great command--love one another. To break down, if only for a while, the barriers that separated them.
Maybe the coming together of St. Peter and Resurrection were long overdue. For on this night, we remember that our resurrection, our Christ, gave a new commandment. That we are to love one another as Christ loved us. That we are to love one another as Kered and Anna do. But we all know to well that the simple act of loving one another as Christ loved us is not simple. The disciples knew this…it took the fall of a St. Peter to bring about this Resurrection too.
Laws were everywhere for the disciples, from the OT laws of Leviticus to Roman city laws. And yet, Christ gives his disciples a new law to follow. Not only does He give his disciples a new commandment, he demonstrates how one should act out the new commandment--Christ humbles himself and washes the disciples’ feet. He begins to tell them that he will only be with them a while longer, that servants are no greater than their masters, that they someone among them was not clean. Our St. Peter crumbles, as he says “You will never wash my feet.” Only a resurrection could save him.
At this point the disciples probably realize what this new commandment means, they to will have to wash one another’s feet. After three years of work with Christ, the disciples know the love that he has shown to them. What amazing love! And now, they are to love others in this same way? And wash feet? Impossible!
And for us…to love others as Christ loved us? That means we have to FORGIVE others as Christ forgives us. St. Peter crumbles. To allow old pains and hurts to go and bless those who have done us wrong. It is easier to hold grudges, to enjoy the pain of those who hurt us. In addition, we have to forgive ourselves and love ourselves as Christ loved us. We are commanded to show ourselves respect, to keep from holding onto the sins we have sinned against others. Disciples, according to this commandment, must be willing to live with themselves and the pains that they caused to others. We have to wash our own feet!!
But, unlike the disciples, we know the “rest of the story”. Tomorrow night, we will come back to this place and remember the sacrifice that Christ made for each and every one of us. As we watch St. Peter crumble and await unification that can only be found at the resurrection, we are reminded of the sacrifice that we are not willing to make for each other. The sacrifice we are not willing to make for ourselves. Because, unlike us, Christ did follow the new commandment that was set out for his disciples. HE loved us all, but not as we loved him. His love extends beyond our comprehension. Unlike us, Jesus did not take pleasure in holding onto grudges the way that we do. He did not delight in the failings of those who hurt him. He did not turn his back on the disciples who betrayed him...each and every one of us. Instead, he becomes the only person who is able to fulfill this new commandment. To love one another in a selfless, humble and meaningful way. Loving enough to put his life on the line for us. We know the rest of the story.
Just as the crumbling of St. Peter leads to a coming together at Resurrection school, we remember that our we can be transformed by the always present, incomprehensible love of Christ and the sacrifice he made for us on the cross. Together, with all the disciples throughout the world in this time and in those yet to come, we can live in the joy that our resurrection, our Christ was able to fulfill the unfilfillable commandment. Now that is a cleansing thought.