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| Keep Sundays Special |
The BBC article stated that a number of the detained young men volunteered to have their feet washed while others, perhaps those more sanguine, had to be invited to volunteer to overcome their embarrassment. The small acts of humility displayed by the new Pope since taking office have greatly impressed me but as I read the article I really start to wonder about the aftermath of Maundy Thursday's feet-washing. The offenders are being touched by the Pope. Symbolism aside there is a literal contact when Francis touches feet. While no man or woman is sinless in my understanding of the Christian tradition, the Pontiff is supposedly more sinless than all others. The Italian criminal justice system is having its feet washed by a near-sinless man in the same week when it had been under increased scrutiny as a result of the Amanda Knox aquittal being overturned. Is the offender's feet mired in criminal dirt? Loathsome criminal dirt that we have thrown on to their feet in our judgemental little ways?
The fate or feet of offenders is not normally the remit for this blog. Yet, Easter is upon us and each Easter Sunday I long for those blissful Sundays when the shops used to be closed. Last Easter Sunday I noted that a few more were open. A sign of times? Weather permitting, a walk along closed rows of shops beckons this Sunday. As the papacy is going back to emulating something from the past a part of me rues for a revision of the Sunday Trading Laws. Some gestures are a little special and makes us feel a little more humane.
Wishing all our readers a peaceful and happy Easter.
The week's Twitter highlights had included wonderful interactions with the following from the legal community:
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