So many momentous events in salvation history took place around a shared meal. The first Passover occurred when Moses was preparing to lead the Israelites out of Egypt. They hurriedly used unleavened bread, signifying the haste and urgency that gripped them. This was their moment of liberation, and it is celebrated by the Jewish people every year. The Lord's Supper described by Paul also celebrated liberation - from sin and the collective burden of the past. It was supposed to bear witness to a new age, one in which barriers and divisions were overcome and people shared with one another. Those gathered at the early Christian celebrations were from all walks of life, but at the Eucharist, they were equal and they bonded as one.

The meal in John's Gospel was not the centre of attention, but it focused on the drama of the foot washing. Jesus took the job of the lowest slave in a house and washed the feet of the shocked Apostles. He insisted that anyone who claimed to be His follower had to do likewise - be willing to practise humble and loving service. No exceptions! Humility and love were the hallmarks of John's spirituality and were not optional. No one is above or superior to another in worth and dignity. We can practise 'foot washing' - or a substitute - every day and everywhere. It should be the mark of a Christian.