QUESTION: Given that the washing of the feet (Holy Thursday) was instituted by Jesus and employs the elements of water and ritual, can you give a good theological reason why it is not considered as a sacrament?
ANSWER: Actually, there were ancient authorities who thought it might be, but the difficulty was as to what it signified. St. Augustine made a connection with baptism (and yet there was already a formula for that sacrament). Most authorities and the Church associated it with ordination to the priesthood. Indeed, it plays something of this role in the (spiritualized) Gospel of John. There too the apostles adopted the laying on of hands upon the head of a man as the manner in which he was called to holy orders. Today, the foot washing increasingly refers to our commission as servants or disciples. That is already sufficiently signified in our baptism and confirmation. So I guess the short answer is that the sacraments are not capricious. There was no need for an eighth sacrament. However, once a year it does function as a “sacramental” that emphasizes both the importance of the priesthood and our call to live out our Christianity with humility and charity.
Filed under: Baptism, Catholic, Discipleship, Priests | 5 Comments »
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