July 8, 2020

​Daily Lectionary Readings for Year A

You are probably familiar with the story of Jesus washing the Disciple's feet.  If you attend the Maundy Thursday service during Holy Week, we often focus on this story.  Reread it today.  Read it through a couple of times.  A lot is going on.

I want to focus on perspective this morning.  I am imagining Jesus kneeling at the feet of his disciples with a basin of water and towel.  He was looking at the world from a new perspective.  Many had kneeled at his feet, asking for healing or giving thanks to God.  Now, Jesus moves from the head of the table to kneeling on the floor.  He looks at the world from a new perspective.

Jane Ellen does this when she speaks with children.  She tries to change her eye-level so that she can see the world through the perspective of a child.  It makes a difference.  Jane Ellen gains empathy, compassion, and a deeper understanding.  The child perceives their importance as their viewpoint is affirmed and celebrated.

Take a look at the attached photo.  The Joshua Task Force is working to look at the world through the eyes of the vulnerable.  What will be needed to keep people as safe as possible if we can open up for in-person worship?  We will need to wear masks to protect others.  We will need to wash our hands regularly.  And, we will need to keep six-feet apart.  We didn't have a tape measure to place the markers that Will cut out, so Eric Terry laid down on the ground to help us get a sense of what six-feet looks like.  It made us stop.  We laughed, and we pondered the stark reality of being beyond an arm's reach of one another.  We gained a new perspective on the dangers of this virus and the work we need to do together to keep one another safe.

So, maybe you can try to change your perspective today.  Figure out a new way to look at the world.  Climb a tree.  Or lay down in the grass.  (Bring your phone in case you can't get down from the tree or get up from the grass.)  Turn off the TV, or turn your chairs in another direction.  What can this new perspective teach you about the world?  What do you think Jesus learned when he knelt at the feet of his disciples?  What might the disciples have learned from looking at Jesus in a new way?  

Peace,
Dean