Fr Kevin Kilgore

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Gospel: John 13: 16-20

When Jesus had washed the disciples’ feet, he said to them:
“Amen, amen, I say to you, no slave is greater than his master
nor any messenger greater than the one who sent him.
If you understand this, blessed are you if you do it.
I am not speaking of all of you.
I know those whom I have chosen.
But so that the Scripture might be fulfilled,
The one who ate my food has raised his heel against me.
From now on I am telling you before it happens,
so that when it happens you may believe that I AM.
Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send
receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.”

The Gospel of the Lord.

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Why does Jesus insist on washing Peter’s feet, but not his head?

To teach him how to follow… feet first.

What’s the alternative? To think before we walk; to reason before we follow; to bargain before we surrender.

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Think of how often Peter was taught this lesson.

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He first met Jesus on the shores of Galilee. And with two simple words, “Follow me,” Peter dropped his nets, left his family, and followed Jesus.

Sometime thereafter, Peter was faced with same lesson. While he and the other disciples were fighting for their survival on the stormy Sea of Galilee, Jesus suddenly appeared to them, walking on water.

Then he invited Peter to do the same. 

All Peter needed to use were his feet. For a moment, he did what no other human being has done. He walked on water like his Lord. 

It wasn’t until Peter began to rationalize what was happening that fear flooded his heart and he began to sink like lead.

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Again, at the Last Supper as we hear today, Jesus kneels down to wash Peter’s feet. He winces as the water comes rushing over his toes – not only because of the embarrassment of having his Master perform the task of a slave.

But also, on a deeper level, Peter understands what his Lord is saying. “Do not use your head to make sense of where I am going. Use your feet to follow me.”

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How often do we find ourselves in Peter’s position? 

We try to think before we walk; to reason before we follow; to bargain before we surrender. Yet the same dynamics present at the Last Supper are true today. Jesus invites us to follow him…

Feet first.

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Image credits: (1) The Light of Christ Journey (2) Jesus Washing Peter’s Feet, Ford Maddox Brown (3) The Pocket Testament League

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Acts: 12:24 – 13:5

The word of God continued to spread and grow.

After Barnabas and Saul completed their relief mission,
they returned to Jerusalem,
taking with them John, who is called Mark.

Now there were in the Church at Antioch prophets and teachers:
Barnabas, Symeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene,
Manaen who was a close friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul.
While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said,
“Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul
for the work to which I have called them.”
Then, completing their fasting and prayer,
they laid hands on them and sent them off.

So they, sent forth by the Holy Spirit,
went down to Seleucia
and from there sailed to Cyprus.
When they arrived in Salamis,
they proclaimed the word of God in the Jewish synagogues.

The Word of the Lord.

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Today we hear about the first missionary journey ever recorded in Christianity.

Starting in Antioch, Paul and Barnabas sailed west to Cyprus, north into Turkey, south to Jerusalem, then finally back to Syria. It was a three-year journey filled with risk and reward. 

Paul was stoned at least once. He and Barnabas fled for their lives multiple times. But they also performed miracles, such as healing a crippled man, and converted many along the way.

Their journey also inspired Paul to write some of his pastoral letters, including his Letter to the Galatians. In spite of resistance and widespread persecution, Paul, Silas, and many others persevered, causing the infant Church to grow at a rapid pace. 

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How did they do it?

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They were courageous. Even when it meant risking their lives, these Christians believed so strongly in the resurrection that not even the threat of death could stop them.

They were open to the Holy Spirit. As we are reminded in our first reading, the disciples sent Paul and Barnabas on mission only after prayer and fasting – two ways in which we still receive grace today.

They worked in teams. Saint Paul is one of the most travelled missionaries in history. But he was rarely alone. Among those who accompanied him were: Barnabas, Silas, Timothy, Luke, Priscilla, and Aquila.

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The Lord needs the same type of disciples today: people who are courageous, who are open to the Holy Spirit, and who are team players.

Why not you and me?

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Image credits: (1) Stanwood United Methodist Church (2) Paul and Silas Flogged, Alamy (3) Pinterest

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Acts: 11: 17-28

Those who had been scattered by the persecution
that arose because of Stephen
went as far as Phoenicia, Cyprus, and Antioch,
preaching the word to no one but Jews.
There were some Cypriots and Cyrenians among them, however,
who came to Antioch and began to speak to the Greeks as well,
proclaiming the Lord Jesus.
The hand of the Lord was with them
and a great number who believed turned to the Lord.
The news about them reached the ears of the Church in Jerusalem,
and they sent Barnabas to go to Antioch.
When he arrived and saw the grace of God,
he rejoiced and encouraged them all
to remain faithful to the Lord in firmness of heart,
for he was a good man, filled with the Holy Spirit and faith.
And a large number of people was added to the Lord.
Then he went to Tarsus to look for Saul,
and when he had found him he brought him to Antioch.
For a whole year they met with the Church
and taught a large number of people,
and it was in Antioch that the disciples
were first called Christians.

The Word of the Lord.

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Throughout history, human beings have erected monuments to honor themselves or a loved one, to mark a decisive victory in battle, to celebrate a nation’s independence, or to illicit devotion to the gods.

For example, the Taj Mahal in India is one of the most famous mausoleums in the world, honoring the late wife of a 17^thcentury emperor. 

The arc de triomphe in Paris commemorates those who fought and died for France during the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars.

Angor Wat in Cambodia is the largest religious complex in the world, which has been used by both Hindus and Buddhists to worship the divine.

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In our first reading from the Acts of the Apostles, one of the most significant moments in the life of the Church has unfolded – the Gospel is shared with the Gentiles for the very first time. 

Christianity has finally launched its worldwide mission.

If the Church were to ever erect a monument honoring a group of people, they would be it. By the end of the first century, these early pioneers for Christ would bring the Gospel to the ends of known world… but we don’t even know their names.

Their anonymity leaves us with two important reminders. 

First, the value of humility. Though nameless in the annals of history, these Christians have their names written in the Book of Life. They fought for glory, not for themselves, but for the glory of God. 

Second, they remind us that we have no need for monuments. We ourselves are the living stones, the body of Christ on earth. Together, we enflesh Christ’s love and share his teachings from one generation to the next.

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Although humans have a strong need to remember, often marking decisive moments in history with statues made of stone, we are reminded today that the most important figure in history is still alive.

Jesus Christ, who has not only been raised from the dead; he also lives in us. May our lives point to him, who alone deserves the glory.

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Image credits: (1) A-Z Quotes (2) UNESCO World Heritage Center (3) The Resurrection, Pierro della Francesca