April 8

John xiii. 1. Now, before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end. 2. And supper being ended (the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him). 3. Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God; 4. He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments, and took a towel, and girded himself. 5. After that, he poureth water into a basin, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded. 6. Then cometh he to Simon Peter; and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet? 7. Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter. 8. Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.

9. Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. 10. Jesus saith to him, Ho that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit; and ye are clean, but not all. 11. For he knew who should betray him: therefore said he, Ye are not all clean. 12. So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? 13. Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. 14. If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet, ye also ought to wash one another's feet. 15. For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you. 16. Verily, verily, I say unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord, neither he that is sent greater than he that sent him. 17. If ye know these things, happy are ye if ye do them.

In the hour of his sorrow, Jesus, so far from retiring within himself, absorbed in his own sufferings, made the more tender demonstrations of love to his disciples. He gathered them about him for a family observance of the passover, gave them the most affectionate counsels, and instituted the Supper as a perpetual memorial of his presence and his love. At the moment, also, when he was most deeply conscious of his divine power and glory, he the more graciously humbled himself in acts of love to his friends. Assuming the dress, the manner, the office, of a servant, he expressed his scrupulous regard for the purity of his disciples by washing their feet. This was not

intended as a sacrament, nor as an action to be repeated in kind, but as a symbolical lesson in humility, which is the most difficult and at the same time the most characteristic virtue of Christianity. On Maundy Thursday, the Pope, with much ostentation, goes through the ceremony of washing the feet of twelve beggars; but Bengal has aptly said, "The Pope would do a more remarkable thing, if, in unfeigned humility, he washed the feet of one king, than he does in washing the feet of twelve poor men." The true imitation of Christ consists in forgetting ourselves, and acting for the good of others, without respect to our own honor or advantage.

APPROPRIATE HIMNS.]

Prayer.

[Nos. 74, 78.

Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift. When there was no eye to pity, and no arm to save, thou, Lord, didst not spare thine own Son, but didst deliver him up for us all. We draw nigh to thee with humble faith, and cast ourselves upon thee for salvation. We have sinned; and what can we do unto thee, O thou Preserver of men? We can make no atonement for our transgressions: we cannot answer thee one of a thousand.

But, though we are thus helpless and hopeless in ourselves, we cannot despair when we look up to thee. Thanks be unto thee, O Lord! for having sent thy Son as our Saviour and Example. We bless thee that he died in our stead; and we glorify thee that he lived to teach us how to live. Oh! deliver us from condemnation and from the fear of evil.

We pray to be filled with Christ, and clothed with Christ. May we dwell in him, and may he dwell in us! Seal us for thine own by thy Holy

Spirit, that we may pray and live and walk in the Spirit, and be freed from the law of sin and death. Grant us the grace of humility, of brotherly-kindness, and of self-denial for the good of all men.

We bless thee for thy mercy during the watches of the night. We were not disturbed by any danger, because thy hand preserved us in safety and in peace. We give thee thanks for the light of this new day, and for remembering us with necessary food and raiment. May we use thy gifts as not abusing them, and see in them all our heavenly Father's hand! Graciously bless us this day in our basket and store, in our domestic circle, in our going-out and coming-in, in our worldly business and transactions, and in our bodies and souls; and for the sake of Him who was delivered for our offences, and raised again for our justification, and who is now at thy right hand making intercession for us, we pray for all these blessings and favors. Amen.