Did you not wonder why Jesus preferred the feet to be washed? This is because the gesture speaks about humility in service. When we wash others' feet, we need to bend down to the ground to reach one’s feet, a sign of emptying out ourselves to serve our neighbors.

Jesus says, “I have given you a model to follow so that as I have done for you, you should also do.” This is everyone’s calling, that we need to serve our neighbor humbly so we could win their hearts to turn to Him.

Yesterday, I took another two hours in the mission I discovered on Yahoo Chat through Catholic site. Just last Monday If I’m not mistaken, they changed the format by removing all the religions sub-sites & replaced it with interests, hobbies, romance which they later on return to its original set up after few days probably because they found it ineffective.

As I logged in, there was this Palestinian who violently reacted as I was making enlightenment towards the other. He said, “Allah will kill all the Jews & the Christians!” I switched my attention to him by asking him, “May I know what’s it that angered you most about them?” He replied, “Because they kill people.” This was the second time that I encounter such kind of hatred so I did the same reply as before by a boomerang question, “No offencement. If I’ll kill your sister, would you be happy?” The man limited his reply to “No.” Then I asked him back, “Then why are you planning to kill? Anything that harms you is the same thing that will harm everyone. We can’t resolve any issue by another problem through hatred but through love, forgiveness & teaching the same values by being a good influence.” I thought that I conquered his heart because he stopped replying me.

In a split second, another Palestinian made his turn by siding the former “I agree, we’ll kill the Jews! Bomb!” I needed to browse his very short message because he used a size 30 font maybe. So I repeated the same question to him, “No offensement. If I’ll kill your mother, would you be happy?” He simply replied, “No.” I answered him, “Then why are you planning to kill the Jews? If Jesus could forgive, then why can’t you forgive?” He obtrusively bombarded me by saying “I don’t believe in Jesus!” Then I calmed him down, “Okay, let’s skip up from Jesus if you don’t believe in Him, we go down to human level. Killing is not the answer. You will not be happy If I’ll kill your mother, right? They will not be happy as well when you kill their mothers & I will not be happy if you’ll kill my mother. The Jews are also human just like us who could commit mistakes although they can change like us if they want to. Love, forgiveness & reform are the solution.” The man has been pacified because he inserted my name before his message, “Allan, why do you think the Jews kill?” Then I answered, “Perhaps, they’re also blinded by their anger as well.” Christians & Jews are all sinners but not only them but all of us. We all have our own version of filthiness. However, everyone is given all the luxury of time to reform.” I supposed that it helped him to a self-discovery because he stopped already from there.

In His physical ministerial mission to the people, Jesus showed us the beauty of patience & humility in influencing others to renew trust, confidence & dependence towards God by going down to the human level.

Proverbs 15:33 The fear of the LORD is training for wisdom, and humility goes before honors.

Sirach 1:24 For fear of the LORD is wisdom and culture; loyal humility is his delight.

Philippians 2:6-11 Who, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross. Because of this, God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

The truth is harsh & bites but to most scenarios where indifference is prevalent, we don’t need to be harsh in their harshness by quoting Bible verses that’s harsh if we would like to win their hearts gradually. We have to go down to the human level first by putting ourselves to their sentiments, resentments, frustration. We can’t go to the spiritual level unless the human element is fully appreciated. We’ve to establish first the reality of emotions, “That what you feel about the bad experience is what I feel. Anything that hurts you is the same thing that will hurt me” simply because everyone’s mind & heart have the same faculties which can love & be angered.

There’s a saying that “Its easy to be human but to be humane isn’t easy” because of different individual brokenness that has been kept for a long time that vary on acceptance process because not all are born out of love & with the fear of God for there are those who are unwanted babies, product of violent parents & cruelty of the environment. There are those who could readily accept the direct evangelization through the Gospel but there are those who are non-believers that need to be dig up first the rootedness of their inhumane factors. “If we can’t be humane while we are human, how can we appreciate the Most Holy that’s beyond and above all?

1 Corinthians 9:19-23 Although I am free in regard to all, I have made myself a slave to all so as to win over as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew to win over Jews; to those under the law I became like one under the law--though I myself am not under the law--to win over those under the law. To those outside the law I became like one outside the law--though I am not outside God's law but within the law of Christ--to win over those outside the law. To the weak I became weak, to win over the weak. I have become all things to all, to save at least some. All this I do for the sake of the gospel, so that I too may have a share in it.

Being humane to the inhumanness of others is our humble service to God. The spiritual zeal that we could incorporate on top of everyone’s transformation to humaneness earns the highest reward points in Heaven.

FRIDAY GOSPEL: John 13:1-15 Before the feast of Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to pass from this world to the Father. He loved his own in the world and he loved them to the end. The devil had already induced Judas, son of Simon the Iscariot, to hand him over. So, during supper, fully aware that the Father had put everything into his power and that he had come from God and was returning to God, he rose from supper and took off his outer garments. He took a towel and tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and dry them with the towel around his waist. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, "Master, are you going to wash my feet? Jesus answered and said to him, "What I am doing, you do not understand now, but you will understand later."Peter said to him, "You will never wash my feet." Jesus answered him, "Unless I wash you, you will have no inheritance with me."Simon Peter said to him, "Master, then not only my feet, but my hands and head as well."Jesus said to him, "Whoever has bathed has no need except to have his feet washed, for he is clean all over; so you are clean, but not all." For he knew who would betray him; for this reason, he said, "Not all of you are clean." So when he had washed their feet (and) put his garments back on and reclined at table again, he said to them, "Do you realize what I have done for you? You call me 'teacher' and 'master,' and rightly so, for indeed I am. If I, therefore, the master and teacher, have washed your feet, you ought to wash one another's feet. I have given you a model to follow, so that as I have done for you, you should also do.