Last week was hectic with a capital H, no make that all caps. Tuesday the Media Ministry had a photo shoot for the Caring Groups launch AVP (audio-visual presentation). Wednesday we had Admin/Finance meeting. Thursday was our first choir practice for Kerygma Conference (KCon) 2010. On Friday, Belle and I spent almost 4 hours on the road to get to the KCon coordinators’ meeting in the distant land of Cubao. Saturday was the Caring Group Heads Workshop. Of course, Sunday is Feast Alabang day. Inserted into my week were the regulars – the bulletin and the website. Thank God that before all that, I had Monday, my rest day. I was able to store up mental and physical energy to weather the week.
As the whole week was highlighted by service to my community, the workshop on Saturday was a fitting recap. I did not volunteer as CG head (the litany above should give you an idea why not). So what was I doing there? Ministry heads were also asked to attend. After all, I also handle a group which becomes a quasi-CG. So attend, I did. And I came away with many lessons on how to lead with love and care – “love strategies” they were called.
But it was at the anointing at the end of the workshop that my servant’s heart got a thorough work out. We were told that there will be washing of the feet. It even has the added feature of kissing the feet. Like Peter, I cringed at the thought. Horrors, my last foot spa was months ago! Did I even scrub off the dead skin on my toesies when I bathed this morning?
At the back of the center, Naty, Josie and I plotted on how we can get out of it. But just to make sure, Josie sprayed our feet with her cologne. I wanted to slather mine with the yummy smelling Bath & Body Works hand sanitizer my god-daughter, Angeli, gave me. But I left my bag in the office and had no time to get it. So I sought refuge in the Music Ministry. I thought we were safe. There were only four of us in the choir and Melanie, our Training Ministry head, had given up trying to make us sit with the participants. Even Bro Hermie, head of all South Feasts, seemed to accept that we couldn’t join the activity and anointed us as we sang. While singing I was conflicted, torn between the call to obey and vanity. I made a deal with the Lord that I will just sing my heart out in service.
But, no deal. Our well-laid plans collapsed when the other Music Ministers who had their feet washed already joined the choir. Bro Hermie signaled the four hold-outs (the original plotters plus Belle) to sit and get our feet washed. Since we had learned earlier that one of the characteristics of a servant-leader is obedience, we followed meek as lambs.
After my foot got washed and kissed (while fervently hoping Josie’s cologne still lingered on that particular appendage), I knelt for the anointing. I thought I was the last and that Ed was just kidding when he said I have to wash his feet so I hopped up to re-join the choir. But Bro Hermie called me back to wash his feet. (Picture me like a cartoon character stopping in mid-stride.) Down on my knees I went, recited the prayer, washed his foot and dried it with a wad of tissue as he instructed and bent for the obligatory kiss. When I got up, I saw Cora snickering. She had gotten wind of our escape plans earlier and was so amused that we failed. She said later that touched by the ritual, she was on the verge of tears. But when she saw me collared by our top leader no less, her tears made a detour and she dissolved into fits of laughter instead.
So who ever said that it is only in solemnity that a heart is moved to servanthood? The laughter, the humor, the joy fuels the passion to serve. It’s funny moments like these that keep my servant’s heart humming. After all, “joyful” is another characteristic of a servant-leader.
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