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ServentsOf_Mary
Guest
Just wondering. Is it ok to substitute hand washing for washing feet? Everyone washes each others hands one after an other.
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dshix
Guest
No; the tradition is to wash the feet, in imitation of Jesus’ washing of his apostles’ feet. Peter even says to him, after Jesus insists on washing his feet, “Lord, not only my feet, but also my hands and my head”, but Jesus said, “He that is washed needeth not but to wash his feet, but is clean wholly.”
Essentially, the symbolism is not one of physical cleansing but of spiritual cleansing, and by washing the apostles’ feet, which is the part of the body most in contact with the earth, Jesus symbolizes that he washes them spiritually as well.
Thus, for us now to substitute the hands instead of the feet would kind’ve be flying in the face of the whole reason we do it at all.
Essentially, the symbolism is not one of physical cleansing but of spiritual cleansing, and by washing the apostles’ feet, which is the part of the body most in contact with the earth, Jesus symbolizes that he washes them spiritually as well.
Thus, for us now to substitute the hands instead of the feet would kind’ve be flying in the face of the whole reason we do it at all.
S
ServentsOf_Mary
Guest
So, what would you do about it. Even after speaking to the priest about it, still continues.
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dshix
Guest
Your opening post said nothing about this abuse actually occurring in your parish. Are you now saying that is the case?So, what would you do about it. Even after speaking to the priest about it, still continues.
If so, you should talk to your pastor, ask him his reasons for it, and state that it is not in keeping with the tradition performed on Holy Thursday.
If he refuses to do anything about it, and his reasons for it are not founded in Church teaching, you should send a letter to higher authorities.
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ServentsOf_Mary
Guest
dshix,
Yes. It is happening. And prior to it happening I asked at a parish council meeting about the practice. He said it is about service and participation. He said everyone is able to participate even little children.
Yes I know about hand washing in the Bible. Yes I know scripture. No, I do not agree with the Priest. And, no I do not know how the Diocese feels about it happening.
Yes. It is happening. And prior to it happening I asked at a parish council meeting about the practice. He said it is about service and participation. He said everyone is able to participate even little children.
Yes I know about hand washing in the Bible. Yes I know scripture. No, I do not agree with the Priest. And, no I do not know how the Diocese feels about it happening.
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dshix
Guest
Right. Then send a letter to your bishop, letting him know in precise terms what is going on, without any tone of anger or resentment in the wording, and then leave it in God’s hands. After you have done that, the obligation to reform the practices of your parish is in the bishop’s hands, not yours.dshix,
Yes. It is happening. And prior to it happening I asked at a parish council meeting about the practice. He said it is about service and participation. He said everyone is able to participate even little children.
Yes I know about hand washing in the Bible. Yes I know scripture. No, I do not agree with the Priest. And, no I do not know how the Diocese feels about it happening.
If you do not receive anything to suggest that the bishop even received the letter, perhaps you can send another a month or two later, but don’t press too hard.
T
Tantum_ergo
Guest
After you check with the priest, if he says the same "it’s about service and having everybody participate’, then your next step is to, very, very respectfully, bring up the matter with your bishop.dshix,
Yes. It is happening. And prior to it happening I asked at a parish council meeting about the practice. He said it is about service and participation. He said everyone is able to participate even little children.
Yes I know about hand washing in the Bible. Yes I know scripture. No, I do not agree with the Priest. And, no I do not know how the Diocese feels about it happening.
Something on the order of:
Dear Bishop X:
Recently at our parish X (handwashing instead of washing of the feet) took place, as it has done in previous years apparently. I asked our priest Father X about this and he said "(whatever he said), which confused me because I thought that the Church’s teaching on this was (foot washing on Holy Thursdays is an optional rite, but when it takes place, it is to done to 12 men, and not to be replaced by handwashing or some other ‘service ritual’).
Can you please let me know if my understanding of the Church’s teaching on this subject is in error?
Sincerely,
You
This way you let him know what’s going on. You aren’t ‘standing in judgment’ on Father X, you’re asking if YOU are the one in error (humility), you have given everybody an ‘out’, so to speak. No ‘pointing fingers’, no "<> know what’s better than my priest. . .a very graceful kind of way to let the bishop know there is a problem without making it into an accusatory thing.
And you might have to wait. You might not even get an answer per se, but if next year the ritual is foot WASHING, you’ll know the matter was corrected even if the bishop doesn’t tell you ‘personally’. If next year it’s the same-old-same old, then trot out the same letter, but this time put an addendum noting it’s a year later and the same thing, ask again if your understanding is in error, and THIS time, cc to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.
K
KCT
Guest
Judgmental on my part, I know, but when I hear about priests ‘passing the buck’ and letting others do the washing, it makes me wonder if the priest lacks the humility to wash the feet of his parishioners.dshix,
Yes. It is happening. And prior to it happening I asked at a parish council meeting about the practice. He said it is about service and participation. He said everyone is able to participate even little children.
If it doesn’t change, feel free to attend Holy Thursday somewhere else next year. You don’t have to sit through that if you don’t want to.
K
KyrieEleison17
Guest
If they are actually doing this then write to the bishop and the CDF. No Christian would ever do such a thing on the eve of the memorial of the Passion of the Lord.Just wondering. Is it ok to substitute hand washing for washing feet? Everyone washes each others hands one after an other.
Mt. 27:24 And so, finding that his good offices went for nothing, and the uproar only became worse, Pilate sent for water and washed his hands in full sight of the multitude, saying as he did so, I have no part in the death of this innocent man; it concerns you only.
All sinners were the authors of Christ’s Passion
598 In her Magisterial teaching of the faith and in the witness of her saints, the Church has never forgotten that "sinners were the authors and the ministers of all the sufferings that the divine Redeemer endured."389 Taking into account the fact that our sins affect Christ himself,390 the Church does not hesitate to impute to Christians the gravest responsibility for the torments inflicted upon Jesus, a responsibility with which they have all too often burdened the Jews alone:
We must regard as guilty all those who continue to relapse into their sins. Since our sins made the Lord Christ suffer the torment of the cross, those who plunge themselves into disorders and crimes crucify the Son of God anew in their hearts (for he is in them) and hold him up to contempt. And it can be seen that our crime in this case is greater in us than in the Jews. As for them, according to the witness of the Apostle, “None of the rulers of this age understood this; for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.” We, however, profess to know him. And when we deny him by our deeds, we in some way seem to lay violent hands on him.391
Nor did demons crucify him; it is you who have crucified him and crucify him still, when you delight in your vices and sins.392
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