Gospel: John 18: 33-37
How eager we are to give Jesus a title he shunned and ran away from time and again throughout his life. How ironic that we should create images of Christ as king with scepter and sword, war horse and battle armor - for one whose hands were occupied with towel and basin to wash the feet of others, whose mount was a donkey, and whose crown was made of thorns.
In today's Gospel reading we find Jesus and Pilate discoursing on this very topic. Jesus has been accused of being a king, an accusation that brings with it a death sentence. But Jesus has created no armies, built no castles or fortresses, and has established no court of earthly rule. Jesus states that his one and only mission was to testify to the truth, a subject on which Pilate and all other worldly rulers are decidedly agnostic.
Today's unfortunate feast carries with it a warning. Our image of Jesus as king may resemble more of Barabbas than Jesus, and we may find ourselves pledging allegiance to Caesar with Pilate and the chief priests. The antidote is simple: we take up towel and basin to wash the feet of others, to provide healing to those who are ill, deliverance from those in bondage of sin and demons, and nourishment of body and soul to all who are hungry.
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