Monday, February 27, 2006 · no responses · comments closed

I read the second piece in Ratzinger’s God Is Near Us; this one is called “God’s Yes and His Love.” I’ve not had time to process a coherent, complete response to it, so in the meantime, I’m simply going to present some passages that stood out to me:

On Jesus washing the disciples’ feet (John 13):

In this scene, the evangelist sums up, as it were, the whole of Jesus’ message, his life, and his Passion. As if in a vision, we see what this whole really is. In the washing of the disciples’ feet is represented for us what Jesus does and what he is. He, who is Lord, comes down to us; he lays aside the garments of glory and becomes a slave, one who stands at the door and who does for us the slave’s service of washing our feet. This the meaning of his whole life and Passion: that he bends down to our dirty feet, to the dirt of humanity, and that in his greater love he washes us clean. The slave’s service of washing the feet was performed in order to prepare a person suitably for sitting at table, to make him ready for company, so that all could sit down together for a meal. Jesus Christ prepares us, as it were, for God’s presence and for each other’s company, so that we can sit down together at table. We who repeatedly find we cannot stand one another, who are quite unfit to be with God, are welcomed and accepted by him. He clothes himself, so to speak, in the garment of our poverty, and in being taken up by him, we are able to be with God, we have gained access to God. (30 — 31; emphasis added)

I was going to add some more quotes, but this seems sufficient for one day. It’s a lot to think upon.