Some Ancient Christian References To Feetwashing
Worship
He Took A Towel
Sermons And Services For Communion And Feetwashing
Our feast explains itself by its name. The Greeks call it agape, i.e. affection. Whatever it costs, our outlay in the name of piety is gain, since with the good things of the feast we benefit the needy; not as it is with you, do parasites aspire to the glory of satisfying their licentious propensities, selling themselves for a belly feast to all disgraceful treatment -- but as it is with God himself, a peculiar respect is shown to the lowly. If the object of our feast be good, in the light of that consider our further regulations. As it is an act of religious service, it permits no vileness or immodesty. The participants, before reclining, taste first of prayer to God. As much is eaten as satisfies the craving of hunger, as much is drunk as befits the chaste. They say it is enough, as those who remember that even during the night they have to worship God; they talk as those who know that the Lord is one of their auditors. After manual ablution, and the bringing in of lights, each is asked to stand forth and sing, as he can, a hymn to God, either one from the Holy Scriptures, or one of his own composing -- a proof of the measure of our drinking.
-- Tertullian, The Apology 39, written in 197 A.D., Ante-Nicene Fathers III, p. 47
"Let us wash one another's feet," He said. "Those of slaves, too?" and what great thing is it, even if we do wash the feet of slaves? For He Himself was Lord by nature, while we were slaves, yet He did not beg off from doing even this ... Yet what shall we then say, we who have received the example of such great forbearance, but do not imitate it even slightly, and who, on the contrary, adopt the opposite attitude: both magnifying ourselves unduly and not rendering to others what we ought?
-- Saint John Chrystostom, Commentary on Saint John the Apostle and Evangelist, Homilies 44-88. Homilies on John 71, p. 130
I, then, wish also myself to wash the feet of my brethren, I wish to fulfill the commandment of my Lord, I will not be ashamed in myself, nor disdain what He Himself did first.
-- Ambrose in Of The Holy Spirit (1.14); Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers X, p. 95
We ought therefore also to serve the brethren, in imitation of Christ, for says He, "He that will be great among you, let him be your minister, and he that will be first among you, let him be your servant." For so did He really, and not in word only, fulfill the prediction of, "serving many faithfully." For "when He had taken a towel, He girded Himself. Afterward He puts water into a basin; and as we were sitting at home, He came and washed the feet of us all, and wiped them with the towel." By doing this He demonstrated to us His Kindness and brotherly affection that so we also might do the same to one another. If, therefore, our Lord and Master so humbled himself, how can you, the laborers of the truth and administrators of piety, be ashamed to do the same to such of the brethren as are weak and infirm?
-- Apostolic Constitutions, Ante-Nicene Fathers VII, p. 432
Today, dearest brethren, we are going to hear the Evangelist say that "when the Lord had risen from the meal, he took off his cloak, tied a towel around himself, and began to wash his disciples' feet." What shall we say about this occasion, most beloved? Of what excuse will we be able to offer, we who scorn to give strangers the service which He deigned to offer to His servants? Possibly there are some powerful noblemen or delicate women who scorn to bend down to the footstep of the saints who are sojourning in this world. Not only do they themselves refuse to wash the feet of strangers, but neither do they command of their servants to do it for them. Perhaps Christian men or women blush to touch the feet of the saints in this world with their delicate hands, because the prerogative of birth does allow it. Wicked nobility, which makes itself ignoble before God through pride! The noble and mighty blush to wash the feet of saints and strangers in this world, but they do not amend their lives, they will have to be separated from companionship with them in the future life. Then they will be tormented without any remedy of repentance, when they shall see those whom they despised receive the kingdom because of their humility, while they on account of their pride have merited punishment. Let us fear, brethren, what the blessed Apostle Peter feared, when he heard the Lord say: "If I do not wash you, you will have no share in my heritage." For if, perchance, we disdain to wash the feet of the saints, we will not merit to have a share with them. Let us rather bend down to the feet of the saints or of strangers; because when we fulfill this service with holy humility, indeed we are not merely touching their feet with our hands, but we are cleansing the meanness and filth of our souls through faith and humility, and we are cleansing not only the smallest, but even the most serious of our sins.
-- Ceasarius of Arles (c. 470-542), Sermon 202, Saint Ceasarius of Arles: Sermons (Washington, D.C. Catholic University of America Press, 1973) III, pp. 65-66
Let them imitate the Lord, who at the very time of His passion was not more proud, but more humble. For then he washed His disciples' feet, saying, "If I, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet, ye ought also to wash one another's feet. For I have been given you an example, that he should do as I have done to you."
-- Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage, Ante-Nicene Fathers V, p. 283
For example, Our Lord in the Gospel is girt with a towel, He prepares a basin to wash the disciples' feet, He performs the service of a slave. Granted, it is to teach humility, that we may minister to each other in turn. I do not deny that. I do not reject it. What is it that He says to Peter upon his refusal? If I wash not thy feet, thou shalt have no part with me. And he replied: Lord, not only my feet, but also my hands and my head. Be His apostles, as men walking the earth, still had feet stained by the pollution of sin, the Lord being about to ascend to heaven, desires to free them entirely from their transgressions, that the words of the prophet may be applicable to them: How beautiful are the feet of those that preach peace.
-- Jerome, Epistle 17.12, Nicene and Post-Nicene X, p. 321
-- Tertullian, The Apology 39, written in 197 A.D., Ante-Nicene Fathers III, p. 47
"Let us wash one another's feet," He said. "Those of slaves, too?" and what great thing is it, even if we do wash the feet of slaves? For He Himself was Lord by nature, while we were slaves, yet He did not beg off from doing even this ... Yet what shall we then say, we who have received the example of such great forbearance, but do not imitate it even slightly, and who, on the contrary, adopt the opposite attitude: both magnifying ourselves unduly and not rendering to others what we ought?
-- Saint John Chrystostom, Commentary on Saint John the Apostle and Evangelist, Homilies 44-88. Homilies on John 71, p. 130
I, then, wish also myself to wash the feet of my brethren, I wish to fulfill the commandment of my Lord, I will not be ashamed in myself, nor disdain what He Himself did first.
-- Ambrose in Of The Holy Spirit (1.14); Nicene and Post-Nicene Fathers X, p. 95
We ought therefore also to serve the brethren, in imitation of Christ, for says He, "He that will be great among you, let him be your minister, and he that will be first among you, let him be your servant." For so did He really, and not in word only, fulfill the prediction of, "serving many faithfully." For "when He had taken a towel, He girded Himself. Afterward He puts water into a basin; and as we were sitting at home, He came and washed the feet of us all, and wiped them with the towel." By doing this He demonstrated to us His Kindness and brotherly affection that so we also might do the same to one another. If, therefore, our Lord and Master so humbled himself, how can you, the laborers of the truth and administrators of piety, be ashamed to do the same to such of the brethren as are weak and infirm?
-- Apostolic Constitutions, Ante-Nicene Fathers VII, p. 432
Today, dearest brethren, we are going to hear the Evangelist say that "when the Lord had risen from the meal, he took off his cloak, tied a towel around himself, and began to wash his disciples' feet." What shall we say about this occasion, most beloved? Of what excuse will we be able to offer, we who scorn to give strangers the service which He deigned to offer to His servants? Possibly there are some powerful noblemen or delicate women who scorn to bend down to the footstep of the saints who are sojourning in this world. Not only do they themselves refuse to wash the feet of strangers, but neither do they command of their servants to do it for them. Perhaps Christian men or women blush to touch the feet of the saints in this world with their delicate hands, because the prerogative of birth does allow it. Wicked nobility, which makes itself ignoble before God through pride! The noble and mighty blush to wash the feet of saints and strangers in this world, but they do not amend their lives, they will have to be separated from companionship with them in the future life. Then they will be tormented without any remedy of repentance, when they shall see those whom they despised receive the kingdom because of their humility, while they on account of their pride have merited punishment. Let us fear, brethren, what the blessed Apostle Peter feared, when he heard the Lord say: "If I do not wash you, you will have no share in my heritage." For if, perchance, we disdain to wash the feet of the saints, we will not merit to have a share with them. Let us rather bend down to the feet of the saints or of strangers; because when we fulfill this service with holy humility, indeed we are not merely touching their feet with our hands, but we are cleansing the meanness and filth of our souls through faith and humility, and we are cleansing not only the smallest, but even the most serious of our sins.
-- Ceasarius of Arles (c. 470-542), Sermon 202, Saint Ceasarius of Arles: Sermons (Washington, D.C. Catholic University of America Press, 1973) III, pp. 65-66
Let them imitate the Lord, who at the very time of His passion was not more proud, but more humble. For then he washed His disciples' feet, saying, "If I, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet, ye ought also to wash one another's feet. For I have been given you an example, that he should do as I have done to you."
-- Cyprian, Bishop of Carthage, Ante-Nicene Fathers V, p. 283
For example, Our Lord in the Gospel is girt with a towel, He prepares a basin to wash the disciples' feet, He performs the service of a slave. Granted, it is to teach humility, that we may minister to each other in turn. I do not deny that. I do not reject it. What is it that He says to Peter upon his refusal? If I wash not thy feet, thou shalt have no part with me. And he replied: Lord, not only my feet, but also my hands and my head. Be His apostles, as men walking the earth, still had feet stained by the pollution of sin, the Lord being about to ascend to heaven, desires to free them entirely from their transgressions, that the words of the prophet may be applicable to them: How beautiful are the feet of those that preach peace.
-- Jerome, Epistle 17.12, Nicene and Post-Nicene X, p. 321
