Original Douay–Rheims AnnotationsJohn 13

Began to wash.

This lotion was not only so courtesy, such as the Jews used toward their guests, nor only for example of humility: but for mystery and signification of the great purity that is required before we come to receive the holy Sacrament, ^◦ which straight after this washing was to be instituted and given to the Apostles. Ambr. li. 3 de Sacra. c. 1 Bernard. de coena Domini Serm. 1.

• ◦ Purity required to the receiving of the B. Sacrament.

To wash his feet.

The foulness of the feet, when all the rest is clean, signifieth the earthly affections and relics of former sins remitted: ^[1] which are to be cleansed by devout acts of charity & humility, as S. Ambrose li. 2 de Sacr. c. 1. and S. Augustine ep. 108. & tract. 56 in Io. do note. And because this was only a ceremony, & yet had such force, both now and afterward used of the Apostles, that it purged smaller offences and filthiness of the soul, as S. Ambrose and S. Bernard gather, ^[2] it may not seem strange that holy water and such ceremonies may remit venial sins.

• 1 Venial sins taken away by sacred ceremonies.
• 2 Ambr. & Bern. locis citatis.

You also ought.

Our Master never spake plainer, nor seemed to command more precisely, either of Baptism or the Eucharist or any other Sacrament: and yet by the Church's judgement directed by the Holy Ghost, we know this to be no Sacrament nor necessary ceremony, and the other to be. And why do they believe the Church in this, ^◦ and do not credit her affirming the chalice not to be necessary for the communicants?

• ◦ The Church defineth which are Sacraments and which not &c.

A new commandment.

The commandment of mutual love was given before, but manifoldly misconstrued, and abridged by the Jews to friends only, to this life only, for earthly respects only: but Christ reneweth it and enlargeth it after the form of his own love toward us, and giveth grace to fulfil it.