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Join us as we reflect, ponder, and pray together inspired by today's Gospel.

Today's Gospel: John 13:1-15

What does it mean to wash someone’s feet today? A friend of mine is a music director in Chicago. Many years ago, she was helping an engaged couple select music for their wedding, and they asked if they could wash one another’s feet during the ceremony. I don’t know if it happened, but I thought it was beautiful that this couple understood their future roles as husband and wife to be that of service to one another.

Every year, I sing for the Easter Triduum, and Holy Thursday has always been special to me. I was born on a Holy Thursday in the evening, and as my Catholic faith matured, I began to appreciate that my first few hours of life coincided with the celebration of the Lord’s Supper. As connected as I always felt to that day (my family reminded me every birthday!), it took me decades to connect the ritual of the foot-washing to my own life. I used to simply observe it as a reenactment of an event that happened a long time ago, but it’s so much more. It’s a reminder to us to look for ways to wash the feet of others by humbling ourselves and choosing kindness over being right, being merciful and forgiving to everyone, using our words to lift people up, and making sacrifices to put others’ needs before our own.

Jesus lived what He preached. By His actions, He showed us how to love those we find it difficult to love, to forgive people who have done things that seem inexcusable, and to show compassion to the poor and disadvantaged. This can be done in big and small ways. 

May we live Jesus’ example in our daily lives with the help of the Holy Spirit.

 

Ponder:

 

Where can we figuratively wash another’s feet during this Holy Week?

 

Pray:


Thank You, Jesus, for teaching us humility, service, and love by the way You lived and died for us. Inspire us to look for ways to wash one another’s feet out of love for You, so that we might be examples of You in the world. 

 

Daily Gospel 2

 

Copyright 2025 Lorraine Hess

 

About the Author

Lorraine Hess

Lorraine Hess

Lorraine Hess is a nationally published Catholic singer, songwriter, speaker, and recording artist from New Orleans. She is Director of Music Ministry at St. Catherine of Siena, New Orleans and has served in music ministry since age sixteen. Lorraine has seven albums of original sacred music, and has performed in the US, Canada, and Europe. For more info, visit LorraineHess.com.