Today in my Gospel of John class a friend of mine did an exegesis presentation about John 12, where Mary of Bethany anoints Jesus' feet, and John 13, where Jesus washes the disciples feet.
At the end of the presentation, she and another friend brought out bowls and jugs of water and towels. Well, you know what that means. I don't mind feetwashing, actually, I find it quite powerful. At any rate, the friend assisting read from a writer who talks about the first followers of Jesus telling and re-telling the stories because their bodies and their lives depended on it. A very powerful quote. Then my friend said that to really know the text we have to enter into the story and experience it. Hence, the footwashing.
So, assisting friend washed my feet. As I was sitting there experiencing the warm, scented water and her gentle touch, I realized that that moment was almost exactly the time that I was released from jail, one month ago today. I thought about how during that long and lonely night I wished there were someone to touch me with gentleness, like my friend was doing for me today.
I wept. It's not particularly like me to weep in public, especially in class, but there you go.
We need to know the texts in our bodies. Our lives depend on it.
Oh yes.
