A dispute also arose among them as to which one of them was to be regarded as the greatest.

Where true charity and love dwell,
God himself is there.
As we are all of one body, when we gather,
Let no discord or enmity break our oneness.
May all our petty jealousies and hatred cease
That Christ the Lord may be with us.

I would never come right out and say, I’m the greatest. That would be gauche. I certainly wouldn’t want anyone to get the idea that I can be gauche. Then they would know for certain that I am NOT the greatest.

It may very well be true that in the deep heart’s core many of us would like to be regarded as the greatest.

Isn’t it significant that these guys who got into that dispute about who’s the greatest – all were male? The goal of being the greatest is drummed into little boys from the beginning of their lives. It’s a goal from which we find it impossible to free ourselves. We’re stuck with this ‘expectation’, and even if we want to move toward a social mutuality and a genuine interest in the welfare of others, it always seems to come down to the desire to win. I would love it if a Duke basketball team became number one in the USA. But even when it is decided who is number one, the underdog fans will tell themselves that their team played a better game even though the clock ran out with the other team having the higher score.

Some call this the macho attitude. Whatever you call it many have it, men as well as women. It seems to be the very heart of the American way, and it may in fact simply be the human way. I want to be regarded as the greatest in something. I want this so much that I simply avoid getting involved in activities in which I don’t expect to win. Who likes to lose? I’d like to be regarded as the greatest father, or the greatest preacher, or the greatest husband, or even the greatest servant.

Actually, I think this lust for greatness must not be dismissed as a merely macho attitude.
It’s our attitude. We’re Americans. Isn’t ours the greatest nation in the world? It is a cultural attitude: Isn’t English the best language in the world; isn’t western civilization the greatest -- more advanced than Asian, or African, or even Native American Indian culture. Isn’t what we have, much better than what others have.

This is the human situation -- a problem we all, well, certainly most of us, face. It’s even present in the corporate identity of the churches. I overheard someone saying, “Of course, the Episcopal Church may not be the only true church, but it is the truest.” We could spin that a little and recognize in ourselves the thought that St. Andrew’s may not be the only church in Greensboro, but it really is the best church in town.

Where true charity and love dwell,
God himself is there

So, back to the text which says, A dispute also arose among [Jesus’ apostles] as to which one of them was to be regarded as the greatest. Of course such a dispute arose. If that dispute hadn’t been reported by Luke the evangelist, wouldn’t we wonder about the writer of this scripture? Wouldn’t we think maybe he was out of touch with reality? Where in the world could a group of males (or females) gather and not think about their place in the pecking order? Some folks would like to be the greatest leader of people. Some folks would like to be the most humble, thinking to themselves, “I have more humility than the rest of these people here.”

The apostles were doing what nearly all human beings do. So what’s new?

Jesus had just then given the apostles his body and blood, the Bread of Heaven and the Cup of Salvation. He had just then said that one of them was about to betray him, hand him over to the authorities who wanted him dead. Did the Apostles show any concern or compassion toward Jesus? What they did was become anxious about their reputations. “I’m not going to betray Jesus; after all, look at me; I’m the greatest of his disciples.”

At that teachable moment Jesus spoke his wisdom to these 12 men. It is the kings of the various nations who lord it over their people; and it is people who have authority over other people who are called benefactors. That’s not what I want you to learn how to be. The greatest among you must become like the youngest. The leader among you must be like one who serves. Think about this. Who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Now I’m giving you a new paradigm, a new pattern – here’s what God’s kingdom is like. From now on the greatest people are the servants. Since you are so concerned about who is the greatest, from now on you must think of yourselves as if you are the youngest. From now on you are servants. It’s time that you act as servants. That’s what the kingdom of God is all about. Trying to outdo each other to show who’s the greatest will get you nowhere. Think about my place among you, says Jesus . I am among you as one who serves.

I wonder sometimes about how it is that when we wage our violent wars – I wonder why it is that it’s old people sending young people onto the battlefields. What might happen if our leaders who are for the most part not young – what would happen if we old people thought of ourselves as servants of the young? What would happen if the leaders of governments – what would happen if we old folks went ourselves to fight the violent wars our leaders in our name declare and wage on other nations? I just can’t help wondering about that. Maybe if the old folks went to the front battle lines we would rethink the idea that the way to deal with enemies is to capture them, hurt them and torture and kill them. What, in fact would happen if leaders, and all the citizens of Christian nations would actually try to follow the teachings of Jesus about loving our enemies. American politicians – Democrats and Republicans talk a lot about what good Christians they are.

Since the love of Christ has joined us in one body,
Let us all rejoice and be glad now and always,
And as we hear and love our Lord, the living God,
So let us in sincerity love all people
Where true charity and love dwell,
God herself is there.

Wouldn’t it be a different world if leaders actually tried to live by the teachings of Jesus. It’s easy enough to talk about Jesus. But as the old spiritual song sings it, “Everybody talkin’ ‘bout heaven ain’t a goin’ there.” Christianity often seems to be a lot of pious talk about God and the Bible and “family values”, whatever they are. But isn’t it true that if you are going to talk the talk you had better be willing to walk the walk – to practice what you preach. And if you preach Jesus Christ isn’t it wrong to try to justify violent wars in his name. After all he never said and eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. He said quite a bit about not returning evil for evil – about loving our enemies. Do you think Jesus could be elected president of the USA? Isn’t it possible instead that he would be condemned as unpatriotic? Would he be crucified today if he said what he said back then?

The Gospel according to John includes the story about Jesus washing his disciples’ feet. To make clear his new paradigm – his new pattern for life -- Jesus did what seems strange and even bizarre by this world’s values and ideas. To describe the Kingdom of God Jesus did something new and unusual. Kneeling in front of each of them he began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them dry with a towel. Peter protested. Jesus spoke to Peter and all the disciples. He said that to live by the new pattern of life – the new paradigm – they had to let Jesus serve. “Otherwise [he said] you have no share with me.” My disciples are those who do what I do. I am among you as a servant. Follow me by being a servant too." Isn’t that what Jesus says to everyone, especially those who are baptized in his name?

Won’t you let me be your servant,
let me be as Christ to you.
Pray that I may have the grace
to let you be my servant too.

This day is Maundy Thursday. Maundy is an English derivative of the Latin word mandatum. A mandate is commandment. Today is Mandate Thursday. Jesus says to us, “I give you a new commandment: Love one another as I have loved you. Peace is my last gift to you, my own peace I now leave with you; peace which the world cannot give, I give to you. By this shall the world know that you are my disciples: That you have love for one another?”

In the new paradigm – the new order – the new pattern of life is Jesus himself. He says to all who have decided to try to follow him, “Love one another as I love you.” Love your husband, your wife, your children in the same way Jesus loves. Love your fellow Christians, love all your fellow human beings, even those you feel are your enemies, those who wish you harm – love them as Jesus loves. Treat them as you would treat your best friends.

The first parish I served after being ordained forty years ago was the Church of the Atonement in Tenafly, New Jersey. Maundy Thursday, the custom was to move a table from the narthex to the bottom of the chancel steps, in the nave where God’s people would be seated. The priest stood behind that table facing the people. This was done on Maundy Thursday to celebrate the institution of the Holy Eucharist at the Last Supper. Tonight we recall the first celebration of the Lord’s Supper, the Holy Eucharist.

Think of Leonardo da Vinci’s famous painting of the Last Supper. Imagine that Holy Evening when Jesus took bread, gave thanks, broke the bread and gave it to his disciples and said, “This is my body which is given for you, do this in remembrance of me”. He puts the mandate – the Maundy – in the form of dramatic symbolic action. Jesus commands disciples to love one another – even to love enemies – as Jesus Christ loves us. I don’t know about you, but when I consider this new commandment, I find myself to be inadequate. How can I obey Jesus? I need help – assistance. Isn’t this what Jesus, himself, provides. Jesus gives his very self to us. He gives divine nourishment which will enable us to love as Jesus loves; and without which the peace of Christ is beyond our reach. So he commands us to break bread and drink wine together and thereby proclaim his death until he comes.

A beautiful hymn has these words:

Strengthen for service, Lord the hands
That holy things have taken…

At the conclusion of this liturgy the Holy Table of the Lord and the sanctuary will be stripped bare. And thus we will move closer to the stark reality of the inevitable death by crucifixion of this man we call Lord. Yet even in the desolate certainty of his death the holy table remains as a sign of hope and courage in the midst of the despair and gloom of this night on which Jesus was betrayed. For even in this darkest time our Lord is with us now and at the hour of our death. In the coming hours and days all that we count on and trust, in the deep heart’s core will be proclaimed once more as we walk together toward the place where they laid Jesus’ dead body.

The Lord Jesus, after he had supped with his disciples and had washed their feet, said to them, “Do you know what I your Lord and Master, have done to you? I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done.”

Wouldn’t this be as good a time as any for us to follow the example of Jesus. He is love. He is peace.

He is just. He is humble. He talks the talk and walks the walk.

Now we pray that with the blessed you grant us grace to see your exalted glory ,O Christ our God,our boundless source of joy and truth of peace. Where true charity and love dwell, God is truly here.