In one of his better-known books, the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche (1844-1900), wrote, “’Faith’ means not wanting to know what is true.” 

Nietzsche’s father and grandfather were Lutheran ministers at a time when Lutheranism espoused disgust for human nature and distrust of God’s mercy. The very repressive environment in which he was raised led him to judge religious faith as an escape from reality. This judgment was the result of witnessing both the dehumanizing tendency of fundamentalist religion and the vanity of the clergy. 

At an early age, he rejected his family’s beliefs and developed his own way of thought that was grounded in very individualistic values. He is best remembered for proclaiming that “God is dead” and defining human nature as “the will to power.” In Nietzsche’s experience as a child and youth, religion robbed the individual of the right and pleasure of exercising power over one’s life. 

Certainly, there is validity to Nietzsche’s claim that “’Faith’ means not wanting to know what is true.” All fundamentalist religion, regardless of sectarian identity, is the result of turning one’s back on reality. The various versions of “the Prosperity Gospel” reduce human nature to consumerism. The fundamentalist religions that foment violence reduce human nature to animalistic territorialism. Pie-in-the-sky fundamentalism denigrates the value of the created universe and focuses covetously on an imaginary rescue from the temporal world. 

In addition to validating Nietzsche’s criticisms of religion, all forms of fundamentalism share another trait in common: they reject the central tenets of Jesus’ preaching. Jesus described himself as the revelation of the presence of the God who desires to redeem the world from its physical and moral failings. He said that believing in the God who offers universal salvation requires one to act with charity and forbearance toward all people. Nietzsche’s criticism of religion is true but incomplete. If he had experienced religion as faithfulness to Jesus’ teaching, he would have said, “Faith in a merciless God or an irredeemable world means not wanting to know what is true.” 

John’s Gospel contains no Institution Narrative for the Eucharist. Instead, it narrates Jesus performing the servant’s task of washing the feet of his disciples. It was customary at the time to wash the feet of house guests, as traveling on foot led inevitably to bringing the dust and dirt of the journey into one’s host’s house. Servants were assigned the task of helping guests leave detritus from their journey outside the house.  

At the Last Supper, Jesus took on the role of a servant and provided his disciples with the sort of hospitality that all travelers expected. The washing of feet was not extraordinary in itself; it was extraordinary that the host of the dinner performed this menial task for his guests. As the person in the position of authority within his group, he exercised power, but for the purpose of serving those with lesser power than himself. 

John’s Gospel gives us this unique perspective on the Last Supper because the Gospel author wants us to understand that faithful religion is a radical embrace of the world. Jesus accepted the full truth about his disciples, namely, that they were far less than perfect. Physically, they were dirty and morally, they were in need of the new life that his Resurrection would make possible. His embrace of the truth led him to sanctify their participation in the Passover meal by portraying God’s nature through the prophetic action of washing their feet. 

Tonight, we are reminded in a stark and graphic way that the Eucharist is not other-worldly but of this world, not an escape from the truth but an encounter with the truth of God’s nature and our own, not a privatized experience of privilege but an expression of God’s universal offer of salvation. 

Those fortunate enough to be called to receive the Eucharist encounter God’s will to sanctify the world and, in receiving, are commissioned to sanctify the environment where they live and work. False religion leads to rejection of the real world; faithful religion leads to the sanctification of the real world. Tonight, in this celebration of the Lord’s Supper, you are invited to see the truth about God and human nature by participating in the banquet of the Lamb.