The Catholic Blogsphere- especially the right wing version- is all up in arms about Pope Francis washing the feet of two young women on Holy Thursday, one of whom wasn't even Catholic. I would like, on this Easter, for you to consider three basic items about this event:
1. The Washing of Feet, while ancient, is not a sacrament and it is not doctrine or dogma. The rubrics of the mass are discipline, and thus changeable to evangelize to a new generation- always have been.
2. These two young women, and the ten men that had the Pope wash their feet, are all in juvenile detention. They're there for a reason. One can assume that regardless of what they claim is their religion, they have significant problems following that religion. As such, they are in need of mercy, and conversion. The Pope showed them an act of mercy; may it lead to conversion of their hearts away from the evil that landed them where they are.
3. Finally, one of my favorite events from the life of Pope John Paul II, after a Muslim man attempted to kill him, was his visiting of that man in prison. This turned out to be a turning point in that man's life- he converted to Catholicism today, thanks to Pope John Paul II's forgiveness. That young muslim woman is never going to forget the Pope who came to her in prison; her life will be forever changed because of it.
What liturgical rubric is worth ignoring the spirit of Christ for?
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