A reading from the gospel according to John 13:16-20:

16 When Jesus had washed the disciples’ feet, he said to them: “Amen, amen, I say to you, no slave is greater than his master nor any messenger greater than the one who sent him.
17 If you understand this, blessed are you if you do it.
18 I am not speaking of all of you. I know those whom I have chosen. But so that the Scripture might be fulfilled, The one who ate my food has raised his heel against me.
19 From now on I am telling you before it happens, so that when it happens you may believe that I AM.
20 Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever receives the one I send receives me, and whoever receives me receives the one who sent me.”

Points of Reflection:
Bending down low to wash the dirtiest part of another’s body is an act of humble service. Jesus had shown us the way and He is inviting us to do the same. Forgetting one’s high position in society to work in a charitable institution is an example of humble service. Foregoing a drinking session in order to bring a sick person to hospital is another. Sacrificing your precious time in order to listen to somebody’s personal problem is another. There are actually a thousand and one ways of doing humble service. Let us not also forget that forgiving one another is a form of cleansing each other’s dirt of inner self.

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Needless to say, washing the feet is a verb, an action but it is too important not to emphasize. Listening is important but it is nothing when we do not put Jesus’ teachings into practice. He stated it clearly, “Blessed are you if you do it”.

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“No slave is greater than his master.” If the master can do such as condescending act of washing the feet of another then the servant must not frown upon and should willingly do the same action. The same lesson for messengers. They must have the same humility as the one who sent them.

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Jesus was able to foretell His betrayal because He is the “I AM”. Recall the name of God that He Himself gave to Moses. He was in the beginning of time (John 1:1). Jesus and the Father are one (John 10:30). Anyone who has seen Jesus has seen the Father (John 14:9). Indeed, there is no doubt that Jesus is God. Let us believe in Him.

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Working as a messenger of the Good News has never been easy. Even in the Old Testament, we can read stories of prophets who were rejected by the very own chosen people! History is replete with tales of martyrs and other persecuted missionaries, priests, and pastors. Jesus is telling us in verse 20 that we must listen and give respect and support to His messengers. Rejecting them is rejecting Jesus and God the Father.

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Jesus speaks powerful words to His disciples, words that reach beyond the upper room and into our hearts today. After washing His disciples’ feet, the Lord says:
“Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them…” (John 13:16-17, NIV)

These verses are not just about humility. They are about identity, purpose, and calling. Jesus, the Son of God, had just taken on the role of a servant. He washed the feet of His disciples, a task usually reserved for the lowest of servants. Then He tells them: you are not greater than Me, and I serve. In other words, if the King kneels to serve, so should His followers.

This is a radical message. It flips the world’s system of power upside down. In a culture that elevates status, dominance, and success, Jesus elevates service, humility, and love. He doesn’t just command it. He models it. And then He says something remarkable: “You will be blessed if you do them.”

Notice the blessing isn’t in knowing these things. It’s in doing them. So what does this mean for us today?

First, it calls us to remember who we are. We are messengers of the One who sends us. We do not go in our own strength or for our own glory. We carry the name, character, and mission of Christ Himself. And Jesus makes it clear: the messenger is not above the Sender. This keeps us grounded in humility, but also lifts us in dignity. We are chosen ambassadors of the King.

Second, it calls us to radical servanthood. The Christian life is not about climbing ladders, but about kneeling low. It’s about taking the towel and basin, not the title and spotlight. Whether we’re in the workplace, the home, the church, or the community, Jesus invites us to serve. Not because we are less, but because in the Kingdom of God, that is greatness.

Serving others with love reflects the very heart of God. It’s not a sign of weakness. It is the mark of divine strength. And when we serve, especially in the hidden, humble places, Jesus promises blessing. It may not be the blessing the world offers such as fame, wealth, and applause but it is the blessing of God’s favor, His joy, and His presence.

Third, Jesus speaks a word of calling and purpose. He says, “Whoever accepts anyone I send accepts Me; and whoever accepts Me accepts the one who sent Me.” (v. 20)

This is astonishing. When we go out into the world as representatives of Christ through our words, our kindness, our acts of love, people encounter Him. And not just Him, but the Father who sent Him. Our lives, lived in humility and service, becomes a doorway for others to experience the living God.

We may feel unnoticed or unqualified. But in God’s Kingdom, greatness is measured in towels, not titles. Every act of unseen service, every quiet moment of love given without expectation, these are the seeds of eternal impact.

Let us then embrace the words of Jesus, not just as commands, but as a beautiful invitation: to know Him, to follow Him, and to love like Him. As we do, we’ll find that in losing ourselves in love, we find the life that is truly blessed.

So take heart. You are sent by the King. Go with courage, serve with joy, and love with abandon. The world may not understand this kind of greatness but Heaven rejoices over it.