当我做海军军牧时,适逢我们有机会策划一个退修会,其中的闭幕仪式,是要求所有人都参与的。这些人来自各种不同的信仰或者无信仰,这个仪式得让大家都有分享参与的机会。最后我们决定,办一个像耶稣开始的那种洗脚仪式,让大家体验给予恩典和接受恩典的滋味。
参与者都光着脚围成一圈。我朗读了约翰福音13章,并作了一个短讲。接着,我带着一盆水和一块毛巾,开始洗坐在我左边一位女士的脚。然后她拿过盆和毛巾,跪下,开始洗坐在她左边那个人的脚——依次洗完一圈。我是最后一个被洗脚的人。我本以为,要去洗别人的脚,会令有些人感到不自在。可恰恰相反,因为原来是有些被洗脚的人感到不自在。我发现,接受恩典可能比给予恩典更加困难。
濯足日 (Maundy Thursday,又作圣星期四)是为了纪念约翰福音13章中耶稣的命令。“Maundy”起源于拉丁文mandatum一词,意为“命令”。耶稣说,“我赐给你们一条新命令,乃是叫你们彼此相爱。我怎样爱你们,你们也要怎样相爱。”基督不仅仅是给人洗脚;祂乃是自己卑微 (腓2:5-8)从坐在天上的主成为人的仆人,赐给我们永生的恩典。透过洗脚,祂向我们显明如何谦卑地接受恩典。
主啊,我们是如此骄傲。感谢祢不仅洗我们的脚,还透过祢破碎的身体和所流的宝血洁净我们的心灵。愿我们接受祢的恩典,并满有恩典地将它分享出去。奉耶稣的名求,阿们。
约翰福音 13
1逾越节以前,耶稣知道自己离世归父的时候到了。他既然爱世间属自己的人,就爱他们到底。"Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet." — John 13:14
The retreat we planned while I was a navy chaplain needed a concluding service that included everyone. Since participants would come from many faiths or none at all, it had to be something all could share in. We decided that a footwashing ceremony like the one Jesus led would yield the experience of giving and receiving grace.
The participants sat barefoot in a circle. After reading from John 13, I gave a brief message. Then, with a bowl of water and a towel, I began by washing the feet of the woman to my left. She then took the towel and bowl, knelt, and washed the feet of the person to her left—and so on around the circle. My feet were washed last. I thought some might find washing someone else's feet objectionable. Instead, several recoiled from having their feet washed. Grace, I saw, can be more difficult to receive than to give.
Maundy Thursday commemorates the command Jesus gives in John 13. "Maundy," from the Latin mandatum, means "command." Jesus said, "A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another." Christ didn't just wash people's feet; he humbled himself (Philippians 2:5-8) from his place as Lord in heaven to become a human servant, to grace us with eternal life. By washing feet, he showed us how to accept grace, in humility.
Lord, we are so proud. Thank you for not only washing our feet but also cleansing our souls through your broken body and shed blood. May we receive your grace and share it gracefully. Amen.
诵读: 楚云
片头: 张妙阳