Jesus showed him to the other Apostles, and said, that when he should be no more present among them, Peter was to fill his place in their regard.  Peter said:  ‘Thou shalt never wash my feet!’ Our Lord replied:  ‘If I wash thee not, thou shalt have no part with me.’  Then Peter exclaimed:  ‘Lord, not only my feet, but also my hands and my head.’  Jesus replied:  ’He that is washed, needeth not but to wash his feet, but is clean wholly.  And you are clean, but not all.’

By these last words he referred to Judas.  He had spoken of the washing of the feet as signifying purification from daily faults, because the feet, which are continually in contact with the earth, are also continually liable to be soiled, unless great care is taken.

This washing of the feet was spiritual, and served as a species of absolution.  Peter, in his zeal, saw nothing in it but too great an act of abasement on the part of his Master; he knew not that to save him Jesus would the very next day humble himself even to the ignominious death of the cross.

When Jesus washed the feet of Judas, it was in the most loving and affecting manner; he bent his sacred face even on to the feet of the traitor; and in a low voice bade him now at least enter into himself, for that he had been a faithless traitor for the last year.  Judas appeared to be anxious to pay no heed whatever to his words, and spoke to John, upon which Peter became angry, and exclaimed:  ’Judas, the Master speaks to thee!’ Then Judas made our Lord some vague, evasive reply, such as, ‘Heaven forbid, Lord!’ The others had not remarked that Jesus was speaking to Judas, for this words were uttered in a low voice, in order not to be heard by them, and besides, they were engaged in putting on their shoes.  Nothing in the whole course of the Passion grieved Jesus so deeply as the treason of Judas.

Jesus finally washed the feet of John and James.

He then spoke again on the subject of humility, telling them that he that was the greatest among them was to be as their servant, and that henceforth they were to wash one another’s feet.  Then he put on his garments, and the Apostles let down their clothes, which they had girded up before eating the Paschal Lamb.

MEDITATION VIII.

Institution of the Holy Eucharist.

By command of our Lord, the major-domo had again laid out the table, which he had raised a little; then, having placed it once more in the middle of the room, he stood one urn filled with wine, and another with water underneath it.  Peter and John went into the part of the room near the hearth, to get the chalice which they had brought from Seraphia’s house, and which was still wrapped up in its covering.  They carried it between them as if they had been carrying a tabernacle, and placed it on the table before Jesus.  An oval plate stood there, with three fine white azymous loaves, placed on a piece of linen, by the side of the half loaf which Jesus had set aside during the Paschal meal, also a jar containing wine and water, and three boxes, one filled with thick oil, a second with liquid oil, and the third empty.