Pope Francis on Maundy Thursday declined to address enormous crowds. Instead he went to a prison to emulate Jesus’s act of humility before his crucifixion in washing the feet of his 12 disciples. The pope washed and kissed the feet of 12 inmates, two of them women and two of them Muslim (one of the women was Muslim). It is reported that some of the prisoners broke down in tears.

Pope Francis’s willingness to wash the feet of a Muslim woman shows his concern for the very lowest stratum of society. Europe has millions of Muslims, and some are well off and well integrated into society. But many Muslims who immigrated into France and Italy for work got caught when the jobs dried up, and live in poor areas of the cities, being excluded from mainstream society or much hope of betterment. Women have lower status than men in such communities, so a poor Muslim woman in jail is just about the bottom of the social scale.   »»» Informed Comment

It seems that Pope Francis has taken his Argentinian life of humility and hard work on behalf of society’s rejects with him to Rome.

In the sayings of Jesus collected by early Muslims, there are two that seem pertinent:

“Jesus said, ‘I have two loves–whoever loves me loves them, and whoever hates them hates me. They are poverty and pious struggle’.”

“Jesus prepared a meal for his companions. When they had eaten, he himself washed their hands and feet. They said to him, ‘Spirit of God, it is we, rather, that should do this for you.’ He replied, ‘I have done this so that you would do it for those whom you will teach’.”

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