A Patch of Light and a Rusty Nail

When Leonardo DaVinci was working on his painting of “The Last Supper,” he would spend hours, even days, looking at his canvas. Then he would take his brush in hand and add only one or two strokes. When the monks in the monastery complained about the slow progress, Leonardo replied: “When I pause the longest, I make the most telling strokes with my brush.”

Our Gospel Lesson today is the conclusion of Jesus’ lengthy instruction to the Apostles after the Last Supper. Jesus is asking them to pause and reflect on what He was telling them. With a most telling stroke of humility, He stunned the Apostles by getting up from the table to wash their feet, saying “If I, then, the Lord and Master have washed your feet, you should wash each other’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do what I have done for you…It is to the glory of My Father that you should bear…