Why Don't Catholics Wash Feet?

  • Thread starter Thread starter jinc1019
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
J

jinc1019

Guest
It is pretty clear in the Bible…Why don’t Catholics do it? I was told they do it on Holy Thursday, but is that it? Why only then?
 
jinc1019 said:
It is pretty clear in the Bible…Why don’t Catholics do it? I was told they do it on Holy Thursday, but is that it? Why only then?
Click to expand...
The washing of feet described in John 13 is a representation of the concept that Christians are to dedicate themselves to the loving, humble, charitable service of others. The Holy Thursday liturgy allows for an annual commemoration of this event, and serves as a reminder of what it stands for. Simply put, the washing of the feet on Holy Thursday symbolizes the call for Christians to conduct the various works of mercy on a daily basis.
 
jinc1019 said:
It is pretty clear in the Bible…Why don’t Catholics do it? I was told they do it on Holy Thursday, but is that it? Why only then?
Click to expand...
Because we have sewer systems now and people don’t walk around with fecal matter on their feet like they did in biblical times.

Sewage wasn’t very good back then, unless you were wealthy and lived in a place like Rome. Human waste was pretty much thrown into a ditch in the middle of the street or spread around as fertilizer.

Washing feet wasn’t just something clever which Jesus decided to do. Feet were pretty dirty back then. The rich had servants who would wash their feet upon the master’s return home. The western world has sewer systems and most bathe daily. There is no longer a need to wash feet when returning home or before sitting at a table to eat.

-Tim-
 
I went to the local Catholic church near my university for Holy Thursday last year, and they performed a feet washing ceremony after mass, it was optional, of course, as some people (like myself) are self-conscious about their feet and don’t want people touching their feet. Or, vice versa, people who don’t like touching others feet.
 
are we allowed to wear latex gloves and a dust mask while washing others feet :rotfl:
 
jinc1019 said:
It is pretty clear in the Bible…Why don’t Catholics do it? I was told they do it on Holy Thursday, but is that it? Why only then?
Click to expand...
I’m not really understanding your question.

Are you asking why we don’t wash our feet to be “ritually clean” as some religions do prior to entering a sacred space?

Are you asking why we don’t wash people’s feet at every Mass?

Are you asking why we don’t go around washing the feet of others at any given time?

Are those around you not washing their feet and have hygiene issues?

:confused:

Your post is very confusing — if you can clarify, you might get a better (and more serious) answer.

~Liza
 
i think people wash their feet well before they are washed at the washing of feet at that mass…
 
bzkoss236 said:
I went to the local Catholic church near my university for Holy Thursday last year, and they performed a feet washing ceremony after mass, it was optional, of course, as some people (like myself) are self-conscious about their feet and don’t want people touching their feet. Or, vice versa, people who don’t like touching others feet.
Click to expand...
I have found it’s much easier to wash the feet of others than to have someone wash mine. 🙂

And the funny thing about it is people knowing that they might have their feet washed often will wash them before mass! Now that’s not the idea…🙂 Now as I understand it, the whole reason the feet were washed to begin with is that they didn’t wear shoes and walked around in the dirt making for some very dirty feet!

Now if we are supposed to follow in the FOOTsteps of Jesus and the Apostles that should mean we should have dirty feet also! :bounce:

🤷:rolleyes:🙂
 
I appreciate the information about the lack pod sanitation during biblical times. I never thought about that before, and it makes me see things differently…appreciate the act of Jesus on Holy Thursday a bit more.
 
jinc1019 said:
It is pretty clear in the Bible…Why don’t Catholics do it? I was told they do it on Holy Thursday, but is that it? Why only then?
Click to expand...
Perhaps we should do that more, in the streets, with the homeless people or those in need.

But the physical act of washing feet isn’t really the point; it was the symbolic act of serving others. If God Himself would do it for us, then all the more should we do it for others. It extends to visiting the prisoners and the sick, to welcome the foreigner, to feed the hungry, the comfort the suffering, to other acts of charity.

British Monarchs (who are the heads of the church of England) used to have to do that too, but it was replaced by them giving coins.

Why only on Holy Thursday? The Gospel account of Jesus washing the Apostles’ feet was before Good Friday. Holy Thursday is the day before Good Friday, so we do it to recount when Jesus did it, and remind ourselves of our duty to serve others.
 
Thanks for all of the information, at least the helpful information!

Just some thoughts…

I understand it’s symbolic. But Catholics do a lot of things that are BOTH symbolic and sacramental, like marriage for instance, or communion, etc. So what I want to know is, why isn’t it a sacrament. It seems to fit all of the criteria?

Secondly, I realize that in the narrative, it occurs on Holy Thursday, but the Holy Eucharist, according to the narrative, occurs only once as well, yet we practice this every Sunday. Jesus never told us to do that. He did say do it in remembrance of him, but he basically said the same thing about washing feet.

I guess I just don’t understand why the ritual of washing feet is not considered a sacrament like the other sacraments are. Jesus seems pretty explicit to do this ritualistic act…so why don’t we? I think it is a pretty valid question.
 
jinc1019 said:
Secondly, I realize that in the narrative, it occurs on Holy Thursday, but the Holy Eucharist, according to the narrative, occurs only once as well, yet we practice this every Sunday. Jesus never told us to do that. He did say do it in remembrance of him, but he basically said the same thing about washing feet.
Click to expand...
This is not really correct. The Eucharist is mentioned again (as we understand it) in Lk 24:35 and by Paul in 1 Cor 11:29. It is also clear from early Christian sources (e.g., the Didache, Justin Martyr) that the first generations of Christians understood it this way, as a celebration to be perpetuated in community, as well.

Still, you ask a good question about the washing of feet (sometimes called the Mandatum, from which comes the word “Maundy,” as in “Maundy Thursday”). You ought to read this article on the topic from the Catholic Encyclopedia (1912), which is actually a very good and scholarly source. A portion:
Christ’s command to wash one another’s feet must have been understood from the beginning in a literal sense . . . . In Africa the nexus between this ceremony and baptism became so close that there seemed danger of its being mistaken for an integral part of the rite of baptism itself. . . . The Rule of St. Benedict directs that it should be performed every Saturday for all the community by him who exercised the office of cook for the week; while it was also enjoined that the abbot and the brethren were to wash the feet of those who were received as guests. . . . In the latter half of the twelfth century the pope washed the feet of twelve sub-deacons after his Mass and of thirteen poor men after his dinner. The “Caeremoniale episcoporum” directs that the bishop is to wash the feet either of thirteen poor men or of thirteen of his canons.
 
Here’s an example of a Catholic who does it regularly:

Mary Jo Copeland’s caring hands to receive presidential medal:
startribune.com/lifestyle/190488211.html

From the article: “The shelter is staffed almost entirely by volunteers, and Copeland receives no salary for her work. As a show of humility, she’s known for washing the feet of those who come to the shelter looking for assistance.”

This woman, sometimes known as “the Mother Teresa of Minnesota” will be receiving the Presidential Citizens Medal this Friday.
 
jinc1019 said:
It is pretty clear in the Bible…Why don’t Catholics do it? I was told they do it on Holy Thursday, but is that it? Why only then?
Click to expand...
I don’t know what you mean, I’m Catholic and I actually try to wash my feet regularly 😉

Now seriously, as people have already pointed out, there are feet washing rituals on Holy Thursday each year in many (not all) local Catholic Churches remembering what Jesus did for his apostles. I don’t see a reason to do it more times than that in church.

Personally I think it is a beautiful sign of devotion that Jesus did this to the desciples (basically the earlierst members of the Church). And since men are supposed to love their wifes as Christ loved the Church, I would be glad to wash the feet of my spouse, also. But there are many ways people can show devotion to one another, it does not necesarily have to be by washing of feet. I think it is clear that Jesus was sending a deeper message when he performed this act.
 
MarkThompson said:
This is not really correct. The Eucharist is mentioned again (as we understand it) in Lk 24:35 and by Paul in 1 Cor 11:29. It is also clear from early Christian sources (e.g., the Didache, Justin Martyr) that the first generations of Christians understood it this way, as a celebration to be perpetuated in community, as well.

Still, you ask a good question about the washing of feet (sometimes called the Mandatum, from which comes the word “Maundy,” as in “Maundy Thursday”). You ought to read this article on the topic from the Catholic Encyclopedia (1912), which is actually a very good and scholarly source. A portion:
Christ’s command to wash one another’s feet must have been understood from the beginning in a literal sense . . . . In Africa the nexus between this ceremony and baptism became so close that there seemed danger of its being mistaken for an integral part of the rite of baptism itself. . . . The Rule of St. Benedict directs that it should be performed every Saturday for all the community by him who exercised the office of cook for the week; while it was also enjoined that the abbot and the brethren were to wash the feet of those who were received as guests. . . . In the latter half of the twelfth century the pope washed the feet of twelve sub-deacons after his Mass and of thirteen poor men after his dinner. The “Caeremoniale episcoporum” directs that the bishop is to wash the feet either of thirteen poor men or of thirteen of his canons.
Click to expand...
Thank you Mark. The part about the rule of St. Benedict is fascinating.

-Tim-
 
jinc1019 said:
It is pretty clear in the Bible…Why don’t Catholics do it? I was told they do it on Holy Thursday, but is that it? Why only then?
Click to expand...
We do: patheos.com/blogs/godandthemachine/2012/04/washing-of-the-feet/

Besides the picture of Pope Benedict XVI washing feet in that link, I want to draw your attention to this quote from the same link:

‘There is also a sacramental symbolism found in the scene. When Jesus says “He who has bathed does not need to wash, except his feet,” he calls to mind both Baptism and Confession. The person washed of sin in baptism does not need to be baptized again to be cleansed of his sin.(5) But the feet are the part of the body which carry us through the world, and the world in John is the realm of sin.(6) Our feet carry us into sin, and this sin is washed away in the sacrament of confession. (7) Thus, Jesus washes away the “world” when he washes the feet of the disciples, so that sin has no place at His Father’s table.’
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top