Looking at My Feet More

I look down at my feet more since ordination. 

My left foot was the first thing I saw after the bishop ordained me a deacon.

During the laying of the hands, my eyes were closed.  At the time, I thought of the silence of the Eternal Father. 

(This silence of the Eternal Father is the same silence I occasionally experience during the Doxology when the priest lifts the Sacred Body of Our Lord and when I as deacon assist him by holding the Sacred Chalice of the Precious Blood of Jesus.

Here, the priest re-presents the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the Cross to the Father in the Spirit in a bloodless manner.)

On ordination day, a few seconds after the laying of hands, I opened my eyes, and I saw my left foot.  I then walked over to be vested with servant vestments.

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Here's what I wrote when I added this picture above to the ordination day blog HERE about a year later:

"I took this picture in 2015 at St. Joseph's in Vacaville, CA.  I took it b/c my feet were the first things I saw opening my eyes after the bishop laid his hands upon my head.  They remind me of Jesus washing His disciples' feet out of humility.  I thought of the many steps I would walk for Him before my last days in His service."



Well, I continue to look down at my feet (or think of Jesus washing feet):

- when walking to the front door after a long day at work
- when seated at a meeting
- during the Liturgy of the Word at Mass
- when washing dishes or changing dirty diapers
- while driving
- when saying sorry to someone
- while teaching a class

I know I have many daily faults.  I don't know how people manage without going to Confession regularly.

According to Bl. Anne Catherine Emmerich, Jesus washed His disciples' feet because it is the feet that comes into daily contact with earthly cares and there makes mistakes.

So it was sufficient for Jesus to wash the feet instead of the whole body as Simon Peter wanted to do.



And I will say that with this focus on my feet, it definitely forces my eyes downward.  And it reminds me to keep my pride in check, to try to practice humility as hard as it is and be humble.