The Peep of Day

by Favell Lee Mortimer

Whom did they meet? A man carrying a jug.

They followed him. He went into a house. Peter and John went in after him, and they said to the master of the house, Jesus wants a room to eat supper in with his disciples before he dies.

Then the master took them up stairs, and showed them a large room, with a table in it, and seats all round the table, and a jug, and a basin to wash their feet in, and a cup and dishes.

Then Peter and John got some bread and wine and other things, and made the supper ready; and they went back and told Jesus (who was a little way in the country) that supper was ready. So Jesus and all his disciples came to the house in the evening; they went up stairs, and they all sat down.

Jesus loved John better than all the rest, and John sat next to Jesus.

After they had been a little while at supper, Jesus got up and took a towel, and tied it round his waist; and he took a jug and poured water into a basin, and he began to wash his disciples’ feet, and to wipe them with the towel round his waist.

But when he came to Peter, Peter said, You shall never wash my feet.

Peter thought it was too kind of Jesus to wash his feet, as if he were a servant; but Jesus was not proud, but loved to be kind to his disciples.

Then Jesus said to Peter, If I wash you not, you cannot be mine; but I have made you clean already. Jesus had made Peter’s heart clean.