Predicazioni/Giovanni/Abbassarsi per servire: lo stile di vita del cristiano/English version
Lowering Yourself to Serve: The Christian Lifestyle
What does it really mean to follow Jesus Christ? In a time when even faith risks becoming theory, debate, or mere belonging, the Gospel story of Jesus washing the feet of his disciples brings us back to the essence. In John 13:5–17, we see the Lord and Master lower himself to serve—a concrete, scandalous, yet profoundly revealing gesture. This reflection explores the meaning of that act: not only as a moral example, but as a key to understanding the Christian life. First, be "washed" by Christ, then learn to live like him. A message that challenges us all, challenging the dominant mentality of our time.
Feet to take care of...
As we get older and have to deal with physical limitations—as many do—we realize that even very simple tasks, like taking care of our feet, are no longer so easy to take for granted. Sometimes we need help from others for things we once did alone.
No longer being able to accomplish even something of this nature can undermine our self-sufficiency—often more presumed than real—and be, in a certain sense, humiliating. We thus end up dependent on the benevolence of others, or on paid services.
On the other hand, caring for someone's most basic needs isn't something everyone is willing to do. Because, ultimately, it means lowering oneself. And when it's done out of necessity, it's often done with a certain reluctance. There is, however, one exception: when you care for someone voluntarily, out of sincere and loving compassion.
And it is precisely this kind of gesture that the Savior Jesus Christ makes when he stoops to wash the feet of his disciples. A concrete, humble, even disconcerting gesture. So much so that they were scandalized by it, because they considered it incompatible with his dignity as Lord and Master. Yet, precisely through that gesture, Jesus intended to teach them a crucial lesson about what it means to be his disciples. He who was about to give his life in sacrifice for people who did not deserve it anyway was teaching that the Christian lifestyle must be one of service: a mutual, humble, selfless service. This is a lesson we need to continually revisit. For we can argue a lot, know a lot, but forget what is essential.
That's why today we'll listen again and consider John 13:5–17. What does this Gospel passage teach us? And how does it radically oppose the prevailing mindset of this world? Listen.
The biblical text
Jesus washes the disciples' feet. “Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was around him. He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, do you wash my feet?” Jesus answered him, “You do not know now what I do, but you will understand later.” Peter said to him, “You will never wash my feet.” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with me.” Simon Peter said to him, “Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” Jesus said to him, “He who is washed through does not need to wash except his feet; he is completely clean, and you are clean, but not all of you.” Because he knew who would betray him, he said, “You are not all of you clean.” So when he had washed their feet and taken his garments, and was reclining at the table again, he said to them, “Do you understand what I have done to you? You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right; for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do as I have done to you. Truly, truly, I say to you, the servant is not greater than his lord, nor the messenger greater than the one who sent him. If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them” (John 13:15-17).
This episode occurs at a particularly solemn moment in the Gospel narrative. We are at the beginning of that section of John's Gospel in which Jesus, now close to death on a cross, gathers with his disciples to prepare them for what is about to happen. This is no longer his public ministry, but a more intimate and direct teaching, addressed to those who have followed him. In this context, the gesture of washing the feet is not a marginal episode, but introduces and summarizes the meaning of his work: a love that humbles itself, that serves, and that will even go as far as giving one's own life. It is therefore a gesture that not only illuminates what Jesus is about to accomplish, but also defines the way of life of those who belong to him.
1. “You don't know now… but you'll understand later” – The Time of Understanding
Peter immediately reacts to Jesus' gesture: "Lord, do you wash my feet?" It's an understandable reaction, but it reveals a profound difficulty: he cannot reconcile Jesus' authority with his humiliation. For him—as often for us—greatness is expressed in elevation, not in abasement. But Jesus responds with words that open a new perspective: "You do not know now what I do, but you will understand later." There is, therefore, an initial "not knowing," which is not culpable in itself, but which must leave room for future understanding. Jesus' gesture, in fact, can only be understood in the light of the cross: only when we see the Son of God abase himself to the point of death will it be clear that this abasement does not contradict his glory, but rather reveals it.
This introduces a fundamental principle for Christian life: discipleship involves a process of mental renewal. We don't immediately understand Christ's way of acting, because it contrasts with the dominant mentality, marked by pride, self-interest, and the pursuit of affirmation. The world teaches us to ascend; Christ teaches us to descend. The world exalts those who impose themselves; Christ honors those who serve. Therefore, like Peter, we too need time to "understand later": when, through the Word and the work of the Spirit, we gradually learn to think according to Christ. Here also lies an apologetic response: Christianity is not a human construction conforming to our instincts, but a revelation that often contradicts them—and precisely for this reason redeems them.
2. “If I do not wash you, you have no part with me” – The priority of grace
To Peter's resistance—"You will never wash my feet!"—Jesus responds with a statement surprising in its radicality: "If I do not wash you, you have no part with me." Here the discussion shifts decisively from the level of visible gesture to that of spiritual reality. What does it mean to be "washed"? In the language of the Gospel, it means to be internally purified and renewed, freed from everything that separates us from God and distorts our way of thinking and living. It is a transformation that affects the mind and the heart: our way of seeing ourselves, others, and God. The gesture of washing the feet thus points to something deeper: it anticipates and illustrates the work that Christ is about to accomplish through his sacrificial death, through which he renews people from within. Peter wishes to accept Jesus as Master, but without undergoing this humiliation; Jesus, however, establishes a non-negotiable condition: without being washed by him, one cannot have part with him.
This highlights an essential truth: Christian life does not begin with what we may do for Christ, but with what Christ does for us. Before being called to serve, we are called to let ourselves be served—in the deepest sense of the word. Here, a clear evangelical dimension also emerges: many are willing to admire Jesus, to follow his moral teachings, but hesitate when it comes to recognizing their own need for interior transformation. Yet, without this transition, there is no communion with him. Christianity is not an ethical improvement, but a transformation born of received grace. Only those who undergo this "cleansing"—that is, profoundly renewed—can truly enter into communion with Christ and, from there, learn to live like him.
3. “He who is washed… needs only to wash his feet” – A complete but continuous purification
To Peter's impetuous reaction—"Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!"—Jesus responds with an important clarification: "He who is washed completely needs only to wash his feet; he is completely clean." Here he introduces a fundamental distinction. On the one hand, there is a complete purification, which concerns the entire person; on the other, a more limited but continuous need, linked to the daily journey. The image is simple: one who has already "bathed" does not need to wash himself completely again, but only to remove the dust accumulated along the way. So it is with the spiritual life: there is a profound work that transforms the person at his very core, and then there is a constant work of renewal along the way.
This has very concrete implications for Christian life. On the one hand, we don't live in constant uncertainty, as if everything had to start over again: those who have been "washed" by Christ belong to him. On the other, however, we are not yet perfect: our way of thinking, reacting, and relating still bears the marks of our condition. For this reason, we need daily purification: to be corrected, realigned, renewed. Here, a community dimension also emerges: "washing one another's feet" implies precisely this mutual care, helping us to walk in a way that is consistent with who we have become. Christian life is not static: it is a continuous journey of transformation, and it is not a solitary journey, but one shared within the community.
4. “Not all of you are pure” – The danger of belonging only externally
After stating, "You are pure," Jesus immediately adds, "but not all." The evangelist clarifies, "because he knew who would betray him." Among the disciples, therefore, there is someone who, while outwardly part of the group, does not truly share what the others have received. This introduces a sober but necessary truth: it is possible to be close to Jesus, participate in the life of the community, listen to his teachings, and yet not be internally transformed. Judas' presence shows that external closeness does not automatically equate with true belonging. He followed Jesus, but with different expectations: personal interests, perhaps even material ones, and a concept of the Messiah that did not conform to that of Christ—not a servant who humbles himself and gives his life, but someone who could fulfill his plans.
This has direct implications for us too. Christian faith cannot be reduced to a position, a habit, or a mere formal adherence. We can be in the right context, say the right words, perform the right actions, and yet have our hearts set elsewhere. Here, too, an evangelical and prophetic dimension emerges: what are we truly seeking? Christ, or something through Christ? Even today, we can follow Jesus for different reasons: security, belonging, personal gain, or to confirm our own ideas. But authentic discipleship involves accepting Christ for who he is, not for what we would like him to be. This text thus invites us to a serious and personal examination, to distinguish between external participation and real transformation, which alone makes Christian life authentic.
5. “You also ought to wash one another's feet” – The Christian lifestyle
After performing the gesture and clarifying its meaning, Jesus draws the conclusion: "If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet." Here the discourse becomes explicit and binding. It is not an isolated gesture, nor a simple edifying example: it is a model to follow. The "ought" leaves no room for reductive interpretations. If the Lord humbled himself, none of his disciples can consider themselves exempt. Jesus reinforces this principle with a general statement: "The servant is not greater than his master." In other words, we cannot claim a position different from the one Christ himself chose.
This defines the Christian way of life in a very concrete way. Not an abstract ideal, but a way of life based on mutual, humble, often hidden service, oriented not to one's own interests but to the good of others. Here the text also takes on a prophetic force: it unmasks every form of spiritual pride, every pursuit of visibility, every power dynamic that can creep into the Christian community. Service is not something accessory or optional, but the very form of Christian existence. And this service is expressed not only in grand gestures, but above all in simple, everyday realities, where one concretely chooses to make oneself available to others, following the Lord's example.
Conclusion
We have seen how this episode is not simply an act of humility, but a revelation of Christ's heart and, at the same time, a definition of the Christian life. Jesus humbles himself, washes their feet, and says: "Do you understand what I have done to you?" It is a question that concerns not only the disciples of that time, but us too today. Have we truly understood the meaning of what Christ did? Have we grasped that his greatness is manifested precisely in his humility?
We've also seen that everything begins here: "If I do not wash you, you have no part with me." Before we are called to do something, we are called to receive. But have we truly accepted being "washed"? Have we recognized the need for a profound change of mind and heart? Or do we continue to want to follow Christ on our own terms, without allowing ourselves to be transformed by him?
Then Jesus reminded us that "he who is washed" still needs to be continually renewed. Christian life is a journey, not a static state. But how are we walking? Do we allow ourselves to be corrected, renewed, realigned? And do we live this journey together with others, in community, or in isolation, self-sufficiently, without real mutual involvement?
Finally, the commandment remains before us, clear and unambiguous: "You also ought to wash one another's feet." And the promise is equally clear: "If you know these things, you are blessed if you do them." Knowing is not enough, understanding is not enough. The final question is therefore very simple and very concrete: are we living like this? Does our way of relating to others truly reflect Christ's style of service? Are we people who seek to be served, or people who choose to serve? Because, ultimately, those who have been truly washed by Christ can no longer live for themselves, but learn, day after day, to live for the good of others.
Let us pray. Lord, our God, we thank you because in Jesus Christ you have shown us your heart: a heart that does not exalt itself, but humbles itself; that does not impose itself, but serves. We pray to you: cleanse us again, renew us profoundly, transform our way of thinking and living. Free us from pride, from indifference, from everything that prevents us from loving as you have loved us. Teach us to follow the example of your Son, to serve one another with humility and sincerity, not for self-interest, but for love. And let our lives truly reflect what we say we believe, so that, knowing these things, we may also live them, and thus be blessed according to your promise. Amen.
Paolo Castellina, April 16, 2026